Only in This World
by courage
Summary: The third part of my 'World' series. Chris and the gang at last come to the end of their never ending nightmare. complete
1. Always Hesitantly

CHAPTER I

Always Hesitantly

_FOREWARD- This is my conclusion to the series that I've affectionately named my 'World' series. I recommend reading the first two installments for this final chapter will have some returning characters. I hope everyone will enjoy my tale._

It was early; morning dew still claimed its spot all around the parks freshly cut grass. The smell of spring excited all of his senses and the brisk morning breeze erased the troubles in his soul...or all of those things could have been a product of simply having Jill by his side. Chris liked to think it was both.

Ever since their war with Umbrella, a debacle corporation set to ruin every life it comes in contact with, Chris and the others tried valiantly to put Umbrella away. To stop the pain and suffering, and revenge the souls that did not come out as lucky as they had.

It was a never ending battle, but one that had to be seen through to the end. For everything was at stake.

After Claire's pregnancy and their last battle with Alfred Ashford things had slowed, but that didn't mean they still didn't work relentlessly in hope that someday it would all end.

Glancing over his shoulder Chris caught Jill's eye. She was his stable, the one thing in this never ending roller coaster that was his constant. She was what kept him going, and even though everyone else had become his family, Jill was the one person that meant everything to him.

"You seem to be in a deep thought," Jill's easy voice broke what had been a long streak of silence. "What has captivated your thoughts, if you don't mind me asking?"

Shrugging Chris told her. "I was just thinking about everything, everything that has gone on and everything we still have to do."

Gracefully moving in front of him Jill took her thumb and rubbed it against his brow. "You think about it too much, have I ever told you that?"

"Somebody has to think about it," he told her defensively.

Jill nodded "I agree, but sometimes..." pausing Jill looked all around, staring at the beautiful scenery that surrounded them. "Sometimes you just have to enjoy the moment that you're living."

Smiling, Chris whispered into her ear. "Like being here with you?"

"Something like that," she replied, wrapping both her arms around his neck.

"Well in that case," Chris said before bending down and kissing her firmly on the lips.

Pulling away Jill was smiling widely. "I like these moments." She told him.

"I do too," Chris said taking her hand; the two proceeded on their walk. "It's just sometimes...it's so damn hard to think about anything else. I'm afraid if I loose concentration for even one second..." Chris' words faded, but Jill knew exactly where he was going.

"That's when disaster will strike, I know I have the same fear, we all do. I suppose the best we can do is continue on and fight with the courage and bravery that we have been."

"I suppose," he said weakly.

"Chris," Jill addressed him firmly. "This will all end soon. It has to."

"I know, I know it's just until then."-

"Until then," Jill cut him off "we do the best that we can and enjoy the"-

"Moments given to us," Chris said, this time cutting her off.

Jill smiled, sharing another kiss the two turned around and started heading back to the apartment.

Their Seattle apartments weren't much. The group had split into two apartments. Chris, Jill, Rebecca, Claire and Grace lived in the one that they always had, while Leon, Carlos and Barry moved into one a few blocks away. It might have cost more, but the sanity it gave everyone was well worth it.

Upon returning back to the apartment Chris and Jill found the whole group already there, everyone was gathered around their tiny kitchen table. In the midst of everyone's familiar faces was one unfamiliar one, a man in a sharp grey suit sat at the table. His anxious steel blue eyes had joined the others in staring up at him.

"What's going on?" Chris asked his comrades, more nervous then curious.

The group turned their gazes to the stranger, whose own gaze was still focused on Chris. The man was older, late fifties, time had taken the man's hair and his face was beginning to wrinkle. All the man's characteristics pointed towards old age, spare one. The man's steel blue eyes stuck out like a white elephant. They bore into Chris, every bit of them thriving with a knowledge that had wore the rest of the man down.

All of these things left Chris nothing but transfixed as the man finally decided to at last speak.

"Chris Redfield I presume?"

Folding his arms across his chest Chris nodded.

"Mr. Redfield," the man addressed him sternly. "I'm special agent Robert Williams, assistant director of the F.B.I. I've come to talk about a subject that I'm sure will interest you all."

Adjusting his stance Chris stared at the man, and with one word that echoed everyone's thoughts, he said out loud.

"Umbrella."

"From the disdain, in your voice, I can tell there's no need to tell you about the corporation."

"You think?" Carlos blurted out from across the table.

Agent Williams merely smirked.

Leveling himself with the rest of the table, Chris spoke crisply to the Assistant Director.

"Why are you here?"

"For the very reason that I believe all of you are here," agent Williams replied. "To put an end to Umbrella."

"But why now?" Jill interrupted. "We've requested at least a dozen or more times for assistance into our investigation. Why are you now suddenly showing up?"

"Don't peg the F.B.I as naïve, Miss Valentine is it? We've kept tabs on Umbrella for some time now, but considering the magnitude that the Umbrella corporation is...let's just say we've had to tread lightly."

"Still, why are you here now?" Jill continued stubbornly.

Agent Williams stared at them with an empty expression, Leon took the opportunity to speak up and fill in the blank that special agent Williams was obviously avoiding.

"Adam," Leon said sadly. "He is-was a F.B.I agent. When it comes to your own you guys don't 'tread lightly.'"

"Yes, special agent Skampa is a factor to why I am here, but as I said only a factor."

"Then why else?" Chris questioned. "Why are we having the sudden fortune of having the F.B.I's Assistant Director gracing us with his presence?"

Looking neither cross nor terrible impressed agent Williams told them. "Contrary to what's probably all your beliefs, the F.B.I has been investigating Umbrella and their side objectives. During the period of our investigation we have never gained any solid evidence for us to fully pursue the company, that is until now."

Pulling out a brief case from under the kitchen table agent Williams pulled out a manila folder, he handed it to Chris.

"What's this?" Chris asked taking the folder.

"The folder in your hand Mr. Redfield contains information where solid evidence, that you have been searching for so feverishly, can be found. That folder can be the beginning of the end to this terrible nightmare that all of you have endured these past years."

"What would you know of nightmares?" Chris asked agent Williams bitterly. The Assistant Director just shrugged.

"It might have taken awhile, but the F.B.I is now offering their hand. It's your provocative if you choose to accept that or not."

With that agent Williams stood up, grabbing his brief case he made his way to the door only to stop in front of Chris.

"Here," the Assistant Director said, handling Chris a business card. "Just in case you want to consider what I'm offering. My cell phone number is on the back. Have a good rest of the day."

Chris caught one last glare from agent Williams intense eyes before he left the room.

When the door was shut Chris turned the card over in his hand and read the number to himself. Turning back to his friends he asked them.

"What do you guys think?"

Every single person in that room just stared at him blankly.

Sitting around the table Jill was taking careful notice to all her friends' expressions as Chris read the contents from the folder.

In Chris' hands was the layout to one of Umbrella's tightest security buildings, located not far from the D.C area. If the F.B.I's sources were correct, then in that building they were to find actual people that have been tested on. If they could retrieve even one of those bodies, well, that would be pretty damning evidence.

Even still, Jill found herself hesitant. Looking at the others Jill noticed she wasn't the only one to feel that way. When Chris was finished reading, Barry was the first to voice Jill's worries.

"I know this is coming from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, but I can't make myself trust this information. I mean the government hasn't been exactly kind to us over the past few years."

"I agree with you Barry," Chris spoke. "But I just don't think this is an opportunity that we can pass up?"

"I don't like how the F.B.I is only coming to us now," Rebecca spoke up for the first time that morning. "I still have to wonder why now?"

"We know about Adam," Leon said coldly. "Whenever there's a circumstance that will make the bureau look bad they want to contain it. Having us on their side is the best way they can do that."

Rebecca frowned, but didn't say anything else. With the young chemist going silent, Carlos decided to pick up her cause.

"Don't get me wrong you guys, I would love to have the F.B.I be our amigos, but I can't help feeling that were being used here."

"Of course we are," Jill told everybody, she could feel her fist start to shake with the tinge of anger. "We've been being used from the beginning. That's why I think we have to be extremely careful when we make alliances."

"Jill, this is the F.B.I were talking about," Chris said incredulously. "I have a hard time believing there going to back stab us."

"OPEN YOUR DAMN EYES!" Jill shouted at him. "Wesker, S.T.A.R.S, Adam, name someone that hasn't back stabbed us. If this experience has taught us anything it has taught us not to trust anybody."

For a moment everyone was silent. Jill, meanwhile, was giving Chris a hard stare, who in return stared right back. Their stare ended when Chris turned away from Jill and looked at his sister.

"You've been awfully quiet during all this. What are you thinking?"

Claire, who had been feeding little Grace up to that point, looked up at everyone almost pleadingly. "I know it's difficult to trust anyone," she said to the group "even an organization as well established as the F.B.I, but I guess the way I see it is if you guys go on this lead, it might be a step closer in shutting Umbrella down. Of course it is a risk, but what the hell isn't these days?"

After a faint smile Claire went back to feeding her child, while everyone else absorbed what she had said.

Stopping Umbrella, there was nothing that Jill wanted more. Every night she dreamt of that moment, she prayed for a night when the hellish nightmares wouldn't haunt her. If joining with the F.B.I brought her closer to what they had all been desperately fighting for, then why the hell was she arguing against it? Only this morning she had told Chris 'it will be over soon'

"Well?" Chris whispered to her, interrupting her thoughts. "What do you think?"

Hesitantly she answered him "I think we have to be damn careful, we can't under estimate a thing."

"So, yes then?"

"It's worth the risk," Jill answered him.

Chris nodded and then turned to the rest of the table. "How about you guys?"

Apprehensive nods bobbed up and down the table.

"I guess I have a phone call to make then," Chris said, and with that everyone departed from the kitchen table off to do their own things. Jill stayed where she was and watched Chris pull out special agent William's card with his own case of apprehension. He turned to face her.

"I am doing the right thing right?" Chris asked her, though she believed his hesitation didn't come from his own doubt, but for her own.

"I think you're doing what has to be done," she told him supportively

Jill stood there and watched as Chris bit his lip fretfully, he was looking back at her earnestly. "I just want all this to be over."

Jill smiled and kissed him lightly on the forehead. "I know, that's all we all want."

"Thank you," he whispered breathlessly. Then got up from the table and moved to the phone. After a deep breath he dialed the first digit.


	2. Uneasy Bridges

Chapter II

Uneasy Bridges

While the others had all gone off to get ready for their trip to Washington Claire sat in her room, Grace was nestled in her arms. All the while an irritable feeling was poking at her heart.

Looking down at her child Claire couldn't help but grin widely. Grace had that effect on her mother. Never in Claire's life had she felt such a strong bond of absolute love as she did every time she held her beautiful baby girl. The love had a force that almost hurt, it was tangled with every single feeling that Claire possessed. She lived for Grace, and would do everything in her power to assure that her daughter would never feel an ounce of pain. That was why this whole situation made her feel so irritable, even angry.

The others were going to go out and put a stop on the evil that had cursed them all for so long. And while they were gone Claire had to stay behind helplessly.

She didn't resent having to stay home with her daughter-in truth nothing made Claire happier. Still, feelings of guilt lingered. They were fighting against what she feared most for Grace. The fear that Umbrella would affect her innocent life the same way it had her own. Claire wanted to be out there, protecting her daughter.

Looking back down at Grace Claire let out a soft giggle as her daughter's hand patted gently against her heart. Watching Grace lovingly Claire prayed that when the day came, when her daughter learned of her past, she would forgive her mother.

Claire was caressing Grace's cheek when she heard a soft rattle on her door.

"Come in," Claire called to her knocker.

A smile reached Claire's lips as Leon's boyish face entered the room. "Not interrupting am I?" He asked.

"Not at all," she told him, making room for Leon to sit next to her on the bed.

Comfort was not easy to come by when you're a single mom. Though Claire knew she had more support then one could ever wish for, she still felt as if she was in this parenthood thing alone. Of everyone, Leon was the person who lessened that feeling the most.

From the beginning Leon had been wonderful; he had been there for her every step of the way. But even for all his support Claire couldn't help but feel like he was keeping something from her. A feeling or fear that he felt he had to keep hidden. And for all her efforts Leon wouldn't let that gate open. It worried her.

"So you ready to go?" Claire asked, shaking all her other thoughts away.

"I am," he said with a small grin "Barry and Carlos are still back at the apartment."

Nodding Claire turned away from Leon, she didn't want him to see her shame, but somehow Leon still knew.

"Nobody thinks less of you Claire for not going, far from it."

"I know," she sighed turning back to him. "It's me, after everything we've been through together it feels wrong that I'm not helping you guys."

"Claire, there are so many more important things in your life right now. We be angry if you put those things second."

"We both know that's not even an option for me," she told him firmly "I just wish this pit that's building in my stomach would go away."

With that boyish grin that Claire had grown to adore Leon said to her. "Stop your worrying; this is Leon S. Kennedy you're talking to. And I always come through in the clutch."

First pushing him playfully, Claire found herself resting her head against his shoulder seconds later. In a voice that would barely be considered a whisper she said to Leon. "Please come back-all of you."

Kissing her gentle on the top of her head Leon's own voice became inaudible. "I promise."

They stayed leaning against each other, Grace snuggled against them both, until the others came in to say their goodbyes. Parting quickly, Claire handed Grace completely over to Leon and got up to say farewell to the others. When they left the room it was once again just her and Leon. Standing up he handed Grace back to her. The two stood inches apart, bending down Claire watched Leon kiss Grace ever so gently on the cheek; he then returned his golden eyes back to her.

As he started to back away Claire mouthed the words 'be careful' to him. Leon nodded; his eyes were tied to hers. Then abruptly he turned around and left the room. Watching the door shut behind him Claire winced as that pit in her stomach grew bigger.

It was an enormous step, one that could end everything, all his nightmares and worries. It was a step to end it all...and yet Chris still found himself hesitant. He knew that joining efforts with the F.B.I was the right thing to do, but as he traveled across country an uneasy feeling had crept into his heart.

There was an anxious feeling tingling his nerves, something about going to Washington D.C that made him sickly nervous. Jill had told him it would go away; that it was probably a mixture of feelings like leaving Claire behind, leaving Seattle so quickly about a dozen other things. Though he hadn't said otherwise Chris knew that his feeling was coming from somewhere else. Something that he couldn't possibly expect.

The helicopter that Assistant Director had summoned for them dropped Chris and his comrades off at the Hoover building itself. Waiting for them at the drop off was agent Williams.

"Have a nice trip?" He asked Chris who was the first to get off.

"I suppose," Chris answered still trying to suppress that anxious feeling.

The Assistant Director smirked. "You can all follow me."

Right on his footsteps Chris and the others followed Williams through a steal door and down a long set of titanium stairs. Reaching the bottom of the staircase they found themselves in one of the hallways of the F.B.I. Trying not to seem too impressed Chris continued to follow Williams as he stepped onto an elevator, the others all rushed in after him.

With everyone overlapping shoulders Williams pushed a bottom on the panel; the elevator slowly began to descend.

"I'm taking you guys to one of the lower offices; there you'll meet the team that has been assigned to the Umbrella case."

They were all nodding when the elevator came to a halt. After a high pitch ding the doors slid opened and the group piled out.

When the Assistant Director said he was taking them to one of the lower levels he wasn't kidding. The group had entered a bare hallway, compared to the elegance upstairs; Chris could only describe this floor as a basement.

The Assistant Director indicated to a door down the hallway, grateful for some direction Chris walked to where he was pointed.

The room wasn't as bare as the hallway they just came from, but it still didn't share the rest of the F.B.I's decorating taste. A round oval table was placed in the middle of the medium sized room, cushioned chairs were scattered around it. On the walls were posters of graphs and maps, articles and pictures also clung to the wall, leaving little space for anything else.

As Chris was examining the room he heard Williams call to him from the doorway. "I'm just going to go find the others, please take a seat."

Following the Assistant Director's advice Chris took a seat around the table, the others followed his lead, spare Rebecca, who continued to examine the items on the wall.

"Guys," she said, stopping at one of the articles. "This is an article from Raccoon."

"What does it say?" Barry gruffly asked.

With her shoulders hunched over, Rebecca began to read from the article.

'_Raccoon City, Oregon was evacuated yesterday due to an invasion of-you guesses it, zombies. The mindless animals were said to have come from practically no where and prayed on every single human flesh that strayed by.'_

Stopping there Rebecca spun around aghast. "There mocking what happened!"

"Yeah," said a voice from the door. "We were appalled as you."

The voice came from a man in his mid-forties; his graying hair was gelled into small spikes. He was wearing a grimace on his face.

The man entered the room, closely followed by two others, both a little younger then the first. Then came Assistant Director Williams, following him was a younger woman who brought up the tail end of the group.

She had long, curly, fury red hair and mesmerizing emerald eyes. Chris recognized the woman immediately.

"Jamie?"

On his knees Adam crawled along the dark alleyway, groping the asphalt painfully with his bloody fingers.

It was dark out; all objects had been reduced to nothing but blurry spots. Moving continued to hurt him rigorously, but with no other options left the pain didn't really matter. The only thing left in his miserable existence was to keep moving, and never look back.

The alleyway seemed to be getting smaller as Adam crawled on, a boxed-in feeling started to swarm over his heart. Moving on Adam felt a sudden blinding pain strike his left hand. Howling painfully into the night Adam rolled onto his back and let his right hand grope for the cause. He felt a sharp object, most likely glass, delved into his hand. Biting his lip Adam pulled the object out.

When he was finished Adam gave into a short cry of agony and threw the glass across the alleyway. Hearing it rattle against another object Adam pressed his bleeding hand against his chest and did what any other desperately lost soul would do. He cried.

His sobs filled the alleyway, drowning out all other sounds that shared the night. It was his sobs that prevented him from hearing the sound of approaching footsteps; it was his involuntary shutters that left him powerless as he noticed a shadow like figure standing over him.

"Mr. Skampa I presume?" said the shadow man's cold voice.

"Who...who are you?" Adam sobbed.

"The only light in you pathetic life," the man replied, his voice carrying no emotion. He lowered his hand in a very enticing manner. Adam stared at it as if it was a pot of gold, still he hesitated.

"What other options do you have Mr. Skampa?" The man said promptly.

Feebly Adam took the shadow man's hand.


	3. Root of Nightmares

Chapter III

Root of Nightmares

As soon as the name escaped his lips Chris ran over to the beautiful agent; the two wrapped each other in a desperate hug.

Jill had recognized the woman as immediately as Chris had. The ruby haired beauty was the same woman that Jill and the others had saved only three years ago, during their hopeless search for Chris. Though she wasn't in the same ragged clothing, nor dirt washed body, the woman's brilliant emerald eyes would be recognized in any attire.

Leaning back in her chair Jill tried to look indifferent as she listened to Chris and Jamie converse.

"My god what are you doing here?!" Chris exclaimed, he was beyond bewilderment. "I...I heard that you guys were rescued, but..." Chris' words faded into a disorientated sigh.

"It's been a long journey," Jamie told him, though a little befuddled herself, the woman managed to keep her poignant cool. "But one that has led me here to the F.B.I." Jill was amazed at how professional the woman's tone was. She continued to sit there entranced as Jamie stared into Chris' icy blue eyes. Immediately Jamie's expression softened. "But I suppose here you are too."

"Here I am," Chris replied with a weak smile.

"Here we all are," said the agent who first entered the room. Jill couldn't have agreed more. "I think we all have a common bond in this room."

"Umbrella," Jamie spoke softly, returning back to her professional manner, her brief soft disposition immediately vanishing. "Yes, well, now that were all here I suppose introductions are in order."

"Agent McKenzie," the Assistant Director broke into the conversation. "Formalities are for those who have the time. You can introduce yourselves as we go." Williams threw a folder in the middle of the table; Jill assumed it was a copy of the file her group had already been presented to. "If you would please go over the mission."

"Of course," Jamie nodded and turned to the whole of the room. "I believe you've all been given outlines of the mission. What the Assistant Director and I have recently discussed is how we should infiltrate the building," she looked around the table with all the confidences on her position, Jill caught Jamie throwing Chris a fleeting glance before continuing.

"We've come up with two options; one through an underground pipeline and the other through the building's garage, with visiting permission which we should be able to obtain through the F.B.I. We have all gone over it and we think we should strike through both options, but we want your opinions."

Finishing her briefing Jamie looked at each of them, eventually all eyes fell on Chris.

"Obviously you guys would go through the garage," Chris began slowly, his eyes set on the Assistant Director. "That means we would go through the pipeline. What kind of security would we be seeing?"

"Not very much," Jamie answered. "That's why we made that an option in the first place. You shouldn't hit any security until the pipeline comes to an end. In which case, I believe you guys are fully capable of handling."

"So what happens when we leave the pipeline?" Jill asked speaking up for the first time. Jamie turned to her, a recognition over took her expression; there was a glint in the red hair's eyes that quickly vanished as she began to speak.

"The labs are in the basement of the building, which will be closet to your group. Unsurprisingly the doors are locked, fortunately enough the lock is mechanical. They're operating in a control room on one of the top floors in the building, me and agent Kennel;" Jamie indicated towards a spiked hair fellow. "will open the doors for you. From there we want you to grab what evidence you can and get out of there as quickly as possible. Go the way you came, the rest of my team will have a van waiting for you when you come through the pipes. From there you'll high-tail it to the rendezvous point." Pausing to look around the room Jamie asked the group "Does any have any objections to this plan?"

"How are you guys getting out?" Chris asked quietly.

"Don't worry about me or Kennel," Jamie said, a mischievous smile spread across her lips. "We've escaped from our share of bad situations."

Kennel let out a hollow laugh "Yeah, but only by the skins every time."

With everything explained Jill stared up at Chris, she caught his eyes and traced the uneasiness that ran through them. Chris turned to the rest of the group to see what they thought, Carlos with a laugh pretty much summed up all their unspoken thoughts.

"Well it sounds pretty organized," the Hispanic man chuckled "sure beats are usual tactic of running and gunning."

"There's a place for you to go running with your guns ablaze," said Williams. "But I think this is a time when stealth is the best option. To be honest the F.B.I doesn't even know were partaking in this mission, so we all have something on the line here. The only thing that now has to be is said is...are you guys with us?"

Watching Chris glance at the group for any objections he turned back to Williams and Jamie, slowly he nodded.

"Good," Williams said at the confirmation. "Shall we go over the mission again then?"

So while Chris, Williams and Jamie ran over all the particulars of the operation, Jill and the others became acquainted with the other F.B.I agents in the room.

There was Davis Kennel of course, who eldest of the group was also most light hearted. Jokes would pop out of his mouth left and right. The two other agents were Ronald Beckett and Kyle Winter. The first of the two preferred to be called Beck; he was in his early thirties with dark brown hair that you could see was already graying along the edges. Kyle, the quietest of the agents, was about Jill's own age. He had a blond crew cut hair and sharp hazel eyes. Even from a distance you could always tell that there was something on Kyle's mind.

The three agents were conversing with her friends, and the conversation was friendly enough. It was obvious that both parties were trying to stay clear of the subject of Umbrella, each person not willing to share how they were hurt by the evil corporation. Instead the conversation gravitated towards guns and Carlos' accent. And though the chat seemed to be enjoyable enough, Jill just couldn't keep her focus on it. Her attention had instinctively been driven elsewhere.

Chris, Williams, and Jamie were all wrapped in their own discussion, occasionally one would point over to the blue print on the table. Jill could feel her heart jealously clench every time Jamie made a comment and Chris would nod at her in agreement.

She knew she was being ridiculous; they were working on a mission, not discussing bedroom plans. Even still there did seem to be a lot of agreeing...Cursing herself Jill looked away from the trio only to find Leon staring at her, a small, sympathetic smile was spread across his lips.

Scooting his chair closer to Jill he said to her. "No, need to be feeling jealous Jill."

Jill in return shot Leon a dangerous look "If Claire was in that position how would you feel?" She snapped at him.

Leon quickly held his hands in the air "Hey, I didn't say I be any better. I just said there's no need for you to worry." To this Jill could only sigh.

There was a brief pause "Those Redfields are really something aren't they?" Leon said breaking the silence. "There's just a charisma about them that's just, just..."

"Irresistible," Jill finished his sentence.

Chuckling silently Leon nodded. "God help us."

Smiling at each other Leon got up from his chair. "Speaking of the devil, I think I'm going to give Claire a call. Let her know we got in okay." This time with a weaker smile Leon exited to the room and Jill regrettably turned back to her earlier show.

Chris had just said something to cause Jamie to adamantly agree, the two in turn then turned to Williams, together trying to convince him of something.

They worked well together and for whatever reason that scared the hell out of Jill.

Parting from Jill, Leon had every attention on calling Claire, but when he left the room and pulled out his cell phone Leon suddenly found himself frozen.

What the hell was he planning on saying to her? 'Hey, we made it okay. Now you sit tight while we shut down Umbrella.' Leon thought not.

The truth was there was something that Leon had been dying to tell Claire, but could never find the heart to.

Everything that Adam had told him that night the group went to rescue Grace haunted not only Leon's nightmares, but his daydreams too. The echo of Adam's voice saying that Grace was a reincarnation of Alexia Ashford kept repeating over and over in Leon's mind. And though Leon held no belief that what Adam said was true, the echo would never fade away.

Staring at his cell phone Leon hesitated for only a second longer before shoving it back into his pocket.

There would be a day that Leon would share his nightmares with Claire, but today was not that day. Today was the day that they began the end of the root of all their nightmares.

With only that conviction in mind Leon re-entered the room.

AUTHORS NOTE:

Well another chapter completed. Thanks to all that took the time to read this. I've just started college and with all the new environment adapting I have been doing, it's nice to go back to the familiar with my Resident Evil stories. Nothing brings more security then a nice story about the living dead, right? Anyways, back to that school stuff.

Take Care,

Leah


	4. Crashing Victories

CHAPTER IV

Crashing Victories

After the Assistant Director and Jamie finished with the final briefing, the agents led Chris and the others to a supply room, where they picked up the F.B.I's standard issued handguns and bullet proof vest.

From the supply room they discreetly made their way to a large black van that was parked in the back of the F.B.I garage.

Kennel opened the back doors of the vehicle for everyone before making his way to the driver's seat. Jamie was the first to climb into the vehicle; Chris was quick to find a seat next to her on the van's carpeted floor.

Though his life was filled with much chaos and numerous worries, Chris' time spent in that run down building with those five unfortunate souls; was a memory that he would not soon forget. From even the most random moments he would find himself things back to that time, to those people, and everyday he prayed that they were alright.

Images of what happened to Luke still poisoned his mind. Flashes of that moment never ceased to exist, and the pain and anger would never fade away.

Seeing Jamie proved that. Suddenly all those emotions became raw again, but seeing Jamie again did something else to Chris as well. It gave him a force inside of himself to have closure on what happened to the others, and to know what happened to Jamie.

She looked exactly how he remembered; her hair was still a mad mass of brilliant red, her shoulders still held in their elegant manner. It was only her eyes that had really changed; still their mesmerizing shade of green, Jamie's eyes had adapted another feature. Sorrow.

When the van was filled and Kennel had started the engine, Jamie looked up and caught Chris' stare.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" She asked curiously.

"I'm sorry," Chris apologized quickly, turning away with a slight blush. "I guess it's just a bit surreal to be seeing you again."

"I know, when Williams brought up joining forced with you guys I felt my heart tighten," as soon as she said the words Jamie blushed, hurriedly she changed the subject.

"So I've heard of your adventures since you and Luke left us?"

Chris felt his own heart tighten at the mention of Luke's name. Unable to stop himself from cringing Jamie's own demeanor changed. In a soft, hollow voice she said to him.

"Something happened didn't it, to Luke?"

Images of Luke's exploding corpse flashed in front of Chris, leaving him only able to respond with a saddened nod.

Frowning, Jamie stared up at the van's ceiling. In a ghostly voice she said to him. "At least he's out of this never ending nightmare."

There was a dead silence between them, in which Jamie looked down from the ceiling and deep into Chris's eyes. They stared intensely into each other; a rope tied them together in a hopeless glare. Suddenly Chris broke the connection with a flicker of his eyes. With the silence over Chris' force found a way to his throat, in an overly fearful voice Chris asked her.

"What happened to the others? Derek, Mick, Cindy, there all okay right?"

A faint smile spread across Jamie's lips. "There fine, at least relatively so. Cindy found her family, which she melded back with. She was married with two children, Vince and Gaby. Mick has become heavily involved with his art; it was no surprise to discover that he was once a painter. His material has changed; however, his new stuff is much darker, moodier. I've seen all his pieces, the difference is alarming."

Chris nodded, relieved to know that they made it to where they now were. "How about Derek?" He persisted when Jamie had paused. "How's he doing?"

"Well," she began sadly. "I believe Derek had a real difficult time adjusting. He hasn't really stayed in touch with me and the others. Last I heard he was traveling through Europe."

Again Chris nodded, he was just glad to know they were all alive.

"It was hard for everyone," Jamie continued. "Nothing was easy, adjustment took a long time. In a way I think there all still adjusting."

"And you?" He asked. "How are you adjusting?"

Jamie's eyes flickered painfully.

"What happened after you were rescued?" Chris asked softly. He knew he was stepping onto hurtful territory, but something inside of him had to know.

With her emerald eyes reaching again for his own Jamie answered. "When I got out I re-traced my steps so I could find the life I had led before I was captured by Umbrella. What I discovered..." As emotions began to boil over Jamie stopped to compose herself before continuing on. "What I discovered was horrifying. I was an insurance agent looking into the company; I had uncovered some illegal funds that I am now not even sure of. But whatever it was Umbrella got to me before I could turn the information into local authorities. They killed my mother and father, and...and," emotion had now fully taken Jamie, stifling her tears Jamie bravely continued. "And they took my sister and fiancée and subjected them..." Pausing again, Jamie was now biting her lip in effort to hold back the feelings of agonizing pain that she was so desperately trying to hide. "Umbrella subjected them to its test...information here at the F.B.I located them to Rockford prison."

After a quick sob Jamie once again turned to face the ceiling. From this new position she hastily went on. "Anyway, after going to the F.B.I with my story they graciously offered me a desk job, out of pity I imagine, and after time I became field trained and like I said back in the office...here I am."

By the end Jamie's words had become barely audible whispers, nonetheless, Chris heard every syllable. He gently took hold of her shaking hands, and as she looked back down at him he said to her. "It's alright now."

With her shoulders still shaking slightly Jamie stared at him so dead, and stripped of hope. She was a broken soul, suddenly the words 'it's alright now,' seemed utterly ridiculous. It wasn't alright now; things would never be alright again.

In the midst of deciphering his own thoughts Chris felt Jamie's hand shake furiously and in a low, dark whisper she said to him

"You know what I hate most about Umbrella. Not that they killed all the people that meant anything to me, not that they took away my life, but that fact that they took my feelings...when I now remember the people that have been lost to me...I can't remember what I felt about them. I can't remember or even feel the love I held for them, or the despise of that was the case. There just...just names, only names."

Sighing an almost dead like sigh Jamie stared at him, her heart open and bleeding.

"Jamie," Chris said to her, but his thoughts never reached any farther for at that moment the van stopped, and Jamie quickly recoiled her hands from his grasp.

"Were here," came Kennel's voice.

Hastily Jamie straightened herself and joined the others as they piled out of the van, all the while careful not to meet Chris' eye.

Outside the group found themselves in the midst of the great wilderness. All around them was dark, foreboding forests.

"Well this looks welcoming," Carlos said, breaking what had been up to that point an unbearable tension.

"Redfield," Came Williams's voice from the passenger side of the car. Chris walked to the Assistant Director, joined by the rest of the group. They piled around the Assistant Director as he pointed off into the distance of the forest.

"Your entrance is less then a mile from this point. Just follow the forest down hill from here and you can't miss it."

Dropping his hand back to his side Williams looked out at the group with careful eyes.

"Needless to say to use caution with this group, but I suppose it never hurts. I want you all to use extreme care. Agents McKenzie and Kennel will meet you at the rendezvous point. The rest of us will be here waiting to pick you up. Best of luck." With that Williams got back into the van, the rest of the agents followed. With the remaining group members dispersing Chris instinctively grabbed Jamie's arm as she walked by.

"Take care," she whispered to him as she pulled herself from his grasp.

Chris watched as Jamie got back into the van. As he stared Jamie Chris could see Jill approaching him from the corner of his eye. Taking his hand Jill held onto it reassuringly.

"You think she'll be alright?"

Staring down at Jill Chris found renewed strength. "Probably not," he replied bitterly. "But at least there's hope."

To this, all Chris' comrades nodded before they began their descend into the forest.

* * *

The group proceeded carefully into the thick of the forest. Hands firmly gripped around their guns, ears tuned to hear the slightest of noises and eyes wide open and ready for anything. For Jill, however, her eyes were focused dangerously on something else, as were her thoughts.

She hadn't meant to listen into Chris and Jamie's conversation, but sitting in such a close proximity she couldn't help herself.

From the conversation a realization had come to her. She came to recognize that Jamie was just as much victim, if not more so, then Jill herself was. Listening Jill suddenly grasped that they were all in this together. It was good to confirm this in her head; compassion was sometimes lost on Jill.

The insight, however, also left Jill with more guilty feeling. It left her with a new concern, a concern for Chris. He was obviously concerned for Jamie, what if-Jill inwardly cursed herself again. Now was defiantly not the time for jealousy.

Like the Assistant Director had said the pipeline had not been more then a mile away. Within fifteen minutes Jill and the others found themselves in front of a large, black tube. Peering in Jill could see nothing but darkness; she looked apprehensively back at the others.

"I guess there's only one way to go," Chris said to the group, flipping on his flashlight. He led the way into the pipe, everyone was quick to follow.

Chris' flashlight illuminated in front of them, though, there really wasn't much to see. Empty blackness seemed to extend forever.

"Sweet Jesus," Carlos' voice echoed around the pipe "How long is this bastard?"

"Hard to say," Chris replied. "Though to tell you the truth, I'm more concerned about what it's used for."

Everyone nodded in agreement as they continued on.

In their own little eternity the group walked on and on, Jill found herself dragging her hand along the pipeline's cold steel just so she felt that she wasn't in an endless abyss.

Daydreams started to take over Jill's focus when faint voices pulled everyone back to reality.

As soon as he heard the voice Chris stopped dead in his tracks. Reaching out his arms Chris halted the rest of the group. Quickly turning off his flashlight he whispered near noiselessly to the faction. "Me and Jill are going to continue, we'll signal to you with the flashlight when we know everything is clear."

Feeling Chris' hand grasp her own they parted from the others, and carefully proceeded further into the tunnel. The faint voices grew louder with each step, they continued on until they could hear the stranger's hoarse breathes.

No words were needed, after two swift movements Chris and Jill were standing over two unconscious bodies. Chris quickly signaled to the others, but didn't wait. He continued on out of the pipe and into the basement, Jill was right behind him.

As they entered further into the basement Jill discovered it didn't differ much from any other basement. It was cold, damp, moldy-oh and a high tech, state-of-the-art laboratory. You know, typical.

Jill and Chris simultaneously ran to the entrance, the locking mechanism was still in place.

"Jamie and Kennel must not have made it to the control room yet," Chris said to her, he sounded worried.

The others had now joined them by the door. Each had the same look on their faces. _'They should have been here by now.'_

Everyone concurrently let out a breath of relief when they all heard the cool click from the door as it slid easily open.

With Chris in the lead everyone piled into the lab, which once inside Jill decided was more of a mortuary then anything else.

On the far side of the wall were metal shelves, like a gigantic file cabinet. Each cabinet had a name plainly printed on it. To the side of the shelf were hundreds of various vials, each carefully marked. A few desks also shared space in the room, each well organized and the home to three laptops.

It was an evidence smorgasbord and they all were very hungry.

"Leon, Barry, you two gather what you can from the computers," Chris ordered his eyes wide and excited. "Rebecca, Carlos you guys do the same with the vials. Only take what you believe will be the most damning." Chris then turned to Jill; she noticed a glint in his eyes that she hadn't seen in years. Since before Umbrella. "Shall we go check what's in those selves?" He asked impishly.

With an anxious nod from her the two of them strode over to the steel shelves. Chris had a triumphant grin on his face as he put his hand around the first handle.

Before he could pull the shelf out Jill read the name printed on the steel out loud. "Barret Ashe."

Looking at her with eager eyes he asked her "Ready?"

Giving him a nervous nod Chris pulled out the shelf. They both gasped.

It was the remains of someone, or maybe something. There really wasn't much there that could differentiate the two. The body was that of an ordinary human, the head, however, was one of the most bizarre things that Jill had ever witness. Which for someone as 'worldly' as Jill, the statement was saying something.

Every feature from Mr. Ashe's face came from a different animal, the teeth were like a tigers, the ears enlarged and blue, the nose pointed and the eyes nothing more then two yellow slits.

"Must be one of Umbrella's earlier experiments," Chris whispered, taking out his camera.

Snapping shots of other experiments they soon discovered that Mr. Ashe wasn't alone. Many of the people had the same deformities, although none exactly the same, all were damn close.

Shortly later the shelves became more familiar territory. Soon the people that Chris was pulling out were Umbrella's notorious creations that they had all come to know extremely well. Zombies. Jeremy Andrew was the first; Jill knew it as soon as the putrid smell filled her nostrils. Where the earlier victims were rather odorless, there was no mistaken the smell of a zombie. They smelled like death.

When Chris had finished taking two full roles of pictures he turned to her. "I think we have enough." Spinning around to the others who were all waiting, he stared at them with a genuine smile. Almost giddily he said to the group. "Let's get the hell out of here."

After a hurried agreement the group rushed out of the room and back into the pipe. The excitement of what they had just accomplished was exhilarating.

It was the first time since their war with Umbrella began that they had retrieved some good, solid, irrefutable evidence of Umbrella's monstrous crimes. Today was their independence day and Jill could not remember feeling happier.

As if on cloud nine the group ran, not stopping until they reached the end of the pipeline. Back in day light everyone grasped each other in overjoyed hugs.

This was their moment; a moment that they would cherish for the rest of their lives, a moment that only after a few seconds came crashing to a horrible end.

Like an ominous cloud stood a tall, dark, heinous looking man. Standing by this stranger was the even more heinous Alfred Ashford, is usual smug expression as poignant as ever.

But seeing these figures was only the tip of the heart wrenching iceberg. The worst came when they saw Jamie, kneeling before Ashford, the barrel of a gun pointed at the back of her head.

AUTHORS NOTE:

Well I hope that came off as a cliffhanger. I'm afraid things are only going to get more complicated from here. I'm grateful to all those out there who are taking the time to read my story. I truly appreciate it.

Hope everyone is taking care of themselves.

Always,

Leah


	5. Horrid Truths

* * *

CHAPTER V

Horrid Truths

There Jamie was, helpless and vulnerable. The sight made something inside of Chris cringe.

"Oh how the courageous fall to their knees when a mere member is taken," said the unknown figure. His tone was haughty, but not quite to the level Ashford's was. No, there was something much darker to this man.

"Where's Kennel?" came Barry's voice from behind him. A wicked grin spread across both the stranger and Alfred's lips. Jamie's face simply fell into a painful frown.

From behind Chris could hear Barry mutter 'you bastards.' Not able to agree more Chris yelled at the smirking stranger.

"Who the hell are you?!"

Pretending to be hurt the stranger spoke incredulously to him. "Mr. Redfield, I'm stunned that you don't know who I am. It is because of me, after all, that the glory of Umbrella has risen as far as it has."

"Glory?!" It was Chris' turn to speak incredulously. "Umbrella is a devilishly company that has caused nothing, but pain and misery."

The stranger sneered. "Obviously, Mr. Redfield, are definitions of the word differ."

"I have a feeling that are definitions differ on a lot of things," Chris snapped back "Now what the hell do you want with us?"

"Well, I suppose we can start with that camera your carrying," the stranger indicated toward his neck. "Then you can hand over the vials, and while your at it the files that you stole."

At first no one moved, but when Ashford thrust his gun further into Jamie's temple, everyone reluctantly obeyed.

Once all their evidence was back in his possession the stranger stared at them triumphantly. "Now, if you all be so kind, let's take a journey to my office. I'm sure there's a lot that we can discuss."

"First tell us your name," Chris demanded; something that the stranger didn't take too well.

"You are in no position Mr. Redfield to be barking out demands," the stranger snarled. He then proceeded to step forward, becoming face to face with him.

"Your group is so pathetic," the stranger whispered viscously. "Fighting for what you think is a patriotic cause. When in actuality you have no idea."

"Why don't you give us one then," Chris replied angrily.

"You wouldn't know what to do with it if I did."

Anger was burning in Chris' veins, he stared at the stranger, not sure how much longer he would be able to control himself; when something a few yards away caught his eye.

With a new shot of confidence Chris glared at the stranger directly in his black, soulless eyes and said to him.

"That's were people like you will always fail. You underestimate the will of someone's heart."

The next thing that anyone knew was the sound of two shrill shouts. Before anyone could catch on, both the stranger and Ashford fell to the ground, each with a narrow tranquilizer dart sticking out from their necks. A short distance away a familiar voice could be heard coming out of the woods.

"Is everyone alright?" It was Williams.

"Yeah," Chris answered "you guys came right on time."

"We do what we can Mr. Redfield," the Assistant Director said heartily as he looked around at their crowd. With his expression forming into a worried frown he asked them "Where's Kennel?"

The only answer Williams received was one of dead silence.

"Very well," the Assistant Director replied dully. "We've wasted enough time here. Take back what you collected and let's go."

Everyone did as told and hurried to the van that was waiting for them. As they did Chris kept staring worriedly at Jamie and her sullen expression.

The ride home was silent, quiet mourning had replaced what should have been a great victory. Chris felt his heart clench every time a glanced over at the agents faces and see them staring emptily out the van's darkened windows.

Pulling out a laptop, Rebecca had decided to take another action towards her grief. Revenge. On the computer she put in one of the disk that they had stolen. Chris watched as her expression went from deadpan to utter horror. With her mouth gaped open she raised her head until her eyes met with his.

"Chris," she said, her voice was shaky. "I think you should take a look at this."

* * *

Putting Grace in her crib, Claire carefully wrapped a quilted blanket around her daughter. For an extra moment Claire let her fingers rest against the child's rosy cheeks.

The miracle that was her daughter never ceased to amaze Claire.

Breaking away Claire slipped into the living room for a rare moment of rest and relaxation. Collapsing onto the couch she had only turned on the television when the sound of the door creaking open crashed all hopes for her little R-and-R.

Jumping up from the couch Claire went to great her friends; she was a little taken back by their somber expression as they entered the room.

"Hey," she said apprehensively. Nobody responded. Instantly Claire knew that something was wrong, but nobody seemed willing to speak. They all avoided making contact with her eyes.

Rebecca immediately departed to her room. Watching the chemist storm away Claire looked up at Chris and Jill for some help.

"What going on?" She asked them worriedly "Did something go wrong with the mission?"

"Everything went fine," Leon answered; his voice was flat and tired. "We got exactly what we needed." As he told her this their eyes met for only a second. But Leon was quick to look away."

"I'm going to go home," he told the group weakly. Without another word Leon left the apartment, he was shortly followed by Carlos and Barry.

When the three of them left Claire immediately turned back to her brother. "What the hell is going on Chris? Leon said the mission went fine, but you are all acting as if something terribly happened."

"The mission did go fine," Chris at last replied. "We have all the weapons we need to finally nail Umbrella.'

"Then why the hell are you guys acting like death?"

To this Chris didn't reply, he just stared at her with sullen eyes and then proceeded to his room. After a sympathetic glance from Jill the short haired brunette followed him.

For the remainder of the day Claire was boggled by the mystery that nobody seemed to want to explain. She stayed in her room and pondered what the hell could have happened. She knew it must have been something terribly, but what was beyond her imagination?

During the course of the afternoon Claire was plagued with that one question, and with it the 'what happened?' answer that seemed to never come. It wasn't until late that night that she even saw anyone's face again.

Just as Claire was going to bed she heard a quiet knock on her door. Quickly putting a t-shirt over her nightgown, Claire told the knocker to come in.

It was Chris, the same somber expression rested on his face, but at least now he was looking at her.

"Can we talk?" He asked stepping into the room.

"I don't know," she replied stubbornly "can we?"

Nodding Chris shut the door, making a space for him Chris sat next to her on the bed.

He was staring at her with a mixture of feelings. Sympathy, anger, hurt, confusion, love...it was all there in one emotional melting pot. Now all Claire needed was a reason.

"I understand that you must be frustrated and confused."

"Gee, I wonder why?" Claire couldn't hold back her sarcasm.

"Listen Claire, there's a couple things that you have to understand. First, the mission...though we were successful there was a causality from the F.B.I. The loss cut us."

Nodding sympathetically Claire said to him "I'm sorry to hear that, but I think that I could have handled the news. I don't mean to be callous, but I don't think that's a big enough reason for you guys to all avoid me."

At first Chris didn't say anything to this; his gaze simply drifted away from hers and became absorbed within his own thoughts.

Waiting, Claire let her brother sort through his thoughts. Soon, however, the suspense became too much for her. She was on the verge of blurting something out when at last Chris spoke.

"Do you remember that Christmas before mom and dad died?"

"Sure," Claire said confused "they had given you a be-be gun and me a Barbie doll. I was so jealous."

Chris smiled. "You remember that night then, when we were having our Christmas dinner?"

Staring at her brother Claire could feel her heart sadden. "Yeah, mom received a phone call that grandpa had died. He and Grandma were vacationing in Florida that Christmas."

With a saddened expression Chris asked her. "Do you recall what mom said to us that night, after she told us that Grandpa had died?"

Claire shook her head, all she could remember was that was the beginning of her year of grief.

"Mom had told us that all souls are yearning for somewhere, though when were alive we don't know it, but when we die our souls finally go to that place. Now I'm not exactly a religious person, but I want to believe that."

"Chris..." She knew he was trying to get somewhere, but for the life of her she had no idea where that was."

"Claire, we recovered information from Umbrella files. We discovered a program for advanced G-viruses; I guess it's something close to the Veronica Virus. Anyway Rebecca uncovered a list of names that have undergone this program. Adam was one of those names; there was also a Billy Coen, who had helped Rebecca back in Raccoon."

All she could do was stare stupidly at Chris as he relayed her this information. It was really all too terrible to conceive, though she might carry great distain for Adam she'd never wish...and this Billy. When would the pain ever stop?

"There's more," Chris continued reluctantly. "Another name that I recognized...." Pausing for merely a moment Chris took a deep breath before continuing what he was trying so hard to say "Claire, I found the name Steve Burnside."

Claire knew that her jaw had dropped and her stomach grew into a giant knot, but she hardly noticed. The news was too damn overwhelming.

"What did it say?" She asked, surprised that she could find her voice.

"Claire...Steve, he's...his soul has gone to that place."

"No," she uttered. It was all she could say, it was all she could think.

For so many nights she thought about Steve. Rockford and Antarctica had been so long ago, but the pain and nightmares, they had left her with so many sleepless nights.

"Claire, I am so sorry. I know...I know what this news must be doing to you."

"Chris," her voice was so completely emotionless that it almost frightened her. "Could you just leave me alone?"

"Are you sure?" Chris asked concerned.

To this she didn't even reply. All she could do was turn her back, she was through facing ordeals.

Without a word Chris left the room and Claire, who by herself, dealt with the emotional void that was attempting to once again take over her heart.

AUTHORS NOTES: That's it for that chapter. I just want to thank all who are out there taking the time to read my story.

Always,

Leah


	6. Ending Roots

Chapter VI

Ending Roots

Back at the bottom floor of the F.B.I everyone was gathered around the small office's table.

Though sadness strongly remained for the fallen Kennel, there was a positive mood in the room. A swing in the pendulum, which up to this point, had only been swinging hopelessly.

The meeting began with Assistant Director Williams addressing the entire group.

"You all should be proud; today is the pinnacle of everything that we've all worked so hard for"

"And lost so much in the process," Jamie muttered bitterly, as she did her eye's caught Chris'.

Since the mission Chris hadn't spoken to Jamie, he tried calling her once but she never returned the gesture. A lot was gained that day, but just as Jamie said so much had been lost.

"What we did that day was huge on even the largest scales," continued Williams, penetrating through Chris' thoughts. "And at last we've gained the weapon that we've needed most," Williams paused dramatically. "The F.B.I's support."

The whole room stared at each other; Chris could feel all his friends' eyes upon him. He knew William's announcement left them all with only one question.

"Where does that leave us?" He asked the Assistant Director.

"Well Mr. Redfield," Williams addressed him formally. "That leaves you wherever you want to be left. You can either continue the fight and join us at the F.B.I, or you can back away now knowing that you're leaving the cause in good hands."

"It's our choice?" Jill asked, her voice was drowned in enthusiasm.

"That's the idea Ms. Valentine," Williams said flatly. "Either way we understand, you just have to let us know."

Chris looked around at his comrades expecting to see them all nodding to fight, to his disbelief nobody was nodding.

He looked back up at the Assistant Director. "I think we need some time."

"That's more then okay," Williams told them. "We all will be upstairs if you need us."

After a slight nod Williams left the office, he was followed by the others. Both Chris and Jamie locked glances until she left the room. When they were gone Chris turned back to his friends.

"What do you think?"

The group looked around at each other, then back up at him. It was Barry who at last broke the rising silence.

"I think this is a great opportunity that the F.B.I is giving us."

"A great opportunity for what?" Chris asked curiously.

Barry looked around the group before slowly answering. "An opportunity to get out of this mess."

"This mess?" Chris repeated aghast. "We've been in this mess for over five years, I think this isn't just some mess, this is our mess. Don't you think it's our responsibility to clean it up?"

"I think we've done our part," Jill spoke up. "I think it's time that we pass on the broom."

Chris threw his hands up in the air. "I can't believe this, do all you guys feel this way?"

Standing there in disbelief he watched five heads slowly start to nod.

"Chris, you have to understand that we've all given up so much of our lives." Barry tried to reason with him "I have a family that I hardly see. Jesus, I missed my daughters growing up for this cause. If I have half the chance to go home to them, well that's not much of a choice for me. It's a certainty."

Chris had to look away; he could feel the pain of guilt pound in his heart. Barry had every right to return to his family; Chris had no right to take that opportunity from him. But the others...how could they all just give up?

Not ready to face them again he stormed out of the office. He had reached the elevator when he heard Jill call out his name, turning around he watched her run up to him. Chris felt a large part of his heart ache as Jill reached him; her eyes were staring up at him pleadingly

"Chris," she spoke hesitantly. "You have to understand how everyone is feeling."

"Oh I understand," Chris yelled, he couldn't help feeling angry. "I understand all too well...everyone is giving up."

As soon as he said the words all emotions inside of Chris collapsed. In a defeated tone he stared directly into Jill's empathetic gaze and asked her.

"Do you want to give up?"

Her gaze stayed on his, her expression remained saddened, but there was something behind Jill's golden eyes that flickered.

"Chris, I think we've done everything that was in our human capacity against Umbrella, and now...well maybe it's just time to pass on the torch."

Chris stared at her; his throat had suddenly become dry.

"Think about it Chris," she pleaded with him. "Barry has a family he desperately wants to go home to, Claire is starting a family of her own. I mean you can't possibly want to miss that?"

Still remaining silent, Chris watched helplessly as Jill started to break down.

"And what about us Chris? When do we get to start a life together? Don't you want any of that?"

He stared at her, wanting nothing more then to simply take Jill in his arms. Yet, something was holding him back.

"I can't start my life until I know that Umbrella is finished," he told her quietly.

"Well, I guess we want different things then," Jill said, her voice was half indignant and half on the verge of tears.

"Jill," he said, but he couldn't think of anything to add after that. Jill stared at him expectantly, but when he remained silent she shook her head.

"I guess we've said everything that needs to be said," Jill said coldly before turning around.

Chris watched until Jill's figure slipped back into the office, he then proceeded into the elevator more lost and confused then he ever been in this damn war against Umbrella.

* * *

Shortly after Chris' departure everyone followed his suit, each under the same impression. Their battle against Umbrella was over.

The first thing that Leon wanted to do was call Claire and tell her the news. That thought, however, quickly diminished.

The last conversation Leon had with Claire had been an argument. He hadn't even meant to bring the conversation up, but somehow he had, much to his regret.

-

The group once again was waiting to depart to D.C. and once again they were all waiting for Leon.

He didn't mean to keep them waiting, but something inside of him needed to talk to Claire before they left. He had hardly spoken to her since their return from their last mission and he just wanted to make sure that she was alright.

With a great amount of hesitation Leon lightly knocked on Claire's door. A faint 'come in' echoed from inside the room.

Walking into the room Leon found Claire standing next to Grace's crib, slowly rocking it. Her eye's briefly glanced up at him as Leon entered before they returned back to her daughter.

After a couple of careful steps Leon was standing next to Claire, he stared up at her sorrowful eyes with so much regret. He just wanted all the pain to go away.

A few silence filled moments passed by, biting the bullet Leon decided to be the first to speak.

"Were heading out now."

"Alright," she told him, her voice was so dead.

"Uh, I guess I just wanted to say goodbye."

"Alright," she repeated. The emotion that usually boiled through Claire's veins seemed to no longer exist. And Leon hated that he knew exactly why.

Steve Burnside.

A man that she had only known for a brief period of time, the man who even dead seemed to own her heart.

The thought rotated over and over in Leon's head until, with no control of his own, the single thought blurted out of his stupid mouth.

"There's no getting him back Claire."

At this she turned to him "What?"

"Steve...he's, he's not coming back."

Her eyes had almost become deadly as Claire glared daggers at him.

"I'm sorry, I...I just hate seeing you this way." He tried to sound sympathetic and comforting, but with every passing second her eyes became narrower and narrower.

A cold, bitter silence over took them until at last Claire spoke.

"How dare you talk to me like I don't know that," her every word was sharp and poisonous

"I...I..."

"You think you're coming from the right place," she went on. "But all you did was come here and corner me. What the hell were you expecting me to say?"

It was Leon's turn to go silent.

"I think you should go Leon," Claire told him coldly.

Nodding Leon began to leave, tempting one last glance at Claire as he did so, but it didn't matter. Her back was already turned to him.

-

Looking back at the conversation Leon's heart was filled with guilt and sadness.

The office was now empty, spare for him.

Leon was all alone.

Staring at the empty chairs Leon had to wonder, the war against Umbrella may be coming to a close, but what will they be left with in the end? Maybe in the end, after all the pain, Umbrella might still take away what they held most dear; each other.

As the lonely silence continued to fill the room Leon couldn't help but think maybe his theory was right. Maybe this was the end.

AUTHORS NOTE:

Well, another day another chapter. I just want to give a thanks to everyone out there who took the time to read the chapter. It means a lot to me. Hope everyone has a good Thanksgiving.

Always,

Leah


	7. Realizations

CHAPTER VII

Realizations

She couldn't believe him, after all they've been through he was willing to put it all to the side? And for what? What was he still fighting for?

Jill knew she wasn't being fair, she knew Chris was stubborn and determined. She shouldn't have expected any less when it came to Umbrella. It was just…she thought maybe he put all that to the side for her, for them.

As foolish as her feelings seemed in her head, her heart couldn't help feeling them.

After her argument with Chris, Jill went back into the office, the others, however, seemed to feel the same need of escape as Chris had. Jill decided that she needed to get out of the building too.

Outside the Seattle office Jill let the fresh air fill her lungs, things didn't seem as suffocating out in the open.

Enjoying the nice afternoon breeze Jill took the opportunity to take in her surroundings, when something unexpected caught her eye.

Standing a few yards from the F.B.I's main entrance was Carlos and Rebecca, surprisingly locked in a passionate kiss. Frozen in shock Jill uncontrollably watched the two of them until they parted and Rebecca reluctantly walked away.

With a smile Jill quietly approached the lone Carlos, from behind she said to him. "That's an interesting new development." Her intrusion caused the Hispanic man to jump about twelve feet.

A soft laugh followed as Carlos turned around to face her, his cheeks were thoroughly blushing.

"That wasn't kind chica."

"You'll have to forgive me," she said teasingly, though sadness was quick to once again take over. Trying to forget the battle raging inside of her she continued to put the heat on Carlos.

"So how long have you two been…been doing whatever you crazy kids been doing," she tried to sound light hearted, but she was fairly sure her attempt failed.

"We haven't been together that long," Carlos said slowly, but stopping there he suddenly turned the questioning around on her. "Jill, are you alright?"

Sighing heavily, Jill gave up on her façade and collapsed onto the curb. "Yes, no, I don't know. It's Chris; he's so persistent with continuing this war with Umbrella. Maybe I'm being selfish in wanting to back out…I don't know."

"Don't say you're being selfish, because that means we all are."

"But why isn't Chris?" She persisted. "Why can't he walk away like the rest of us?"

"Who knows, he must have some unfinished business."

Jill glared hopelessly at her friend. "What does that leave me to do?"

"Well I guess that leaves you with a lot of questions. Mainly, it leaves you asking yourself what you want."

"But what if I don't know?"

At this Carlos simply shrugged. "Who the hell does?"

To this Jill had to nod.

"Listen Jill, I'm not pretending to have all the answers, but what I do know is there are some things worth fighting for and some things that are not. You and Chris are defiantly one of those things that are."

With a small smile Jill replied with a quiet "thanks."

"No problem chica. The great Carlos is here for all your love troubles."

Ruffling his perfectly placed hair Jill said to him. "And what about your love situations, how is it that you and Rebecca got together."

"Charm chica, it's all about charm."

Having no doubt that was the case Jill grinned at her friend before parting back into the building.

Carlos, amazingly, was right. Whatever issues she and Chris were having it was nothing they couldn't get through.

With a new resolve filling her heart Jill knew she had to talk to Chris. Childish as it sounded, Jill needed to know that Chris was with her. She needed to know that he be there to catch her. At the moment Jill just needed him.

Back in the F.B.I building Jill didn't know where to find Chris; the federal office was so foreign to her. So she wondered the halls, hoping that the two of them would somehow collide.

And collide they did.

Eventually Jill's wandering led her to the basement, it was there that she found Chris, but Chris was not all she found.

In one heart-shaking, painful moment Jill stared at Chris…with his lips locked on Jamie McKenzies's.

As jagged knives started to pierce at her heart Jill at last found the strength to turn around and flee the scene.

It was painful enough knowing that she needed him, but at that moment it was even more painful thinking how she might need to be without him.

* * *

He was confused, utterly lost. All purpose and reason suddenly drained from his body. And all the while one solitary thought circulated through his clouded head.

What the hell should he do now?

Leaving the basement Chris took the elevator upstairs, as the carrier rose he became further absorbed into his troubled thoughts, before Chris even knew it the quiet tone of a ring echoed into the elevator and the doors slid open. There standing outside the doors was Jamie.

She smiled softly as she entered the elevator. "Are you going down?" She asked, her voice was so pleasing to hear.

"No…yes…" It seemed like he didn't have the answer for anything. Frustrated, Chris ended up shaking his head and muttering to Jamie. "I don't know."

With an understanding nod she said to him. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Slowly Chris nodded. With his answer Jamie shut the doors and leaned against the corner as the elevator began to descend.

During the ride down the two of them were quiet, though they did keep throwing embarrassed glances at each other. One time there was even eye contact, but they both quickly looked away.

Arriving at the basement Chris started for the office, but stopped when Jamie called his name. Turning around he found her sitting against the cold cement, leaning against a shelf of files. Chris joined her on the floor.

"I spend way too much time in that office," she explained.

Tilting his head towards her Chris asked. "But doesn't it feel good that you're out there trying to do something? I mean doesn't it feel right that your continuing on?"

An unreadable expression took over Jamie's pretty features and she told him. "I'm glad that I'm not giving up, there's a drive inside of me that can't be stopped, this is just one of those things that I have to see through to the end."

"Exactly!" Chris exclaimed, though he was a little surprised not to see Jamie jumping onto her own bandwagon.

"You can't blame them," Jamie quietly continued on. Chris just gave her a confused look. "Your friends," she said knowingly. "They don't want to continue on do they?"

Though he didn't speak any words, Jamie could read his answer through his eyes.

"So they're all ready to lay down their swords?"

"Yes, which is just so surprising. I would peg none of them as quitters."

"Maybe, they are just ready to say goodbye." Jamie told him.

"Then why?!" Chris yelled in frustration. He jumped up from his spot on the ground and started to pace the basement hallway. "Why can they all say that's it while I can't? Why can they all so easily move on while I can't let myself get past the horrors? I mean is this Umbrella's final curse that I must live with?"

As Chris paced frantically Jamie got up from the ground and gently placed her hands on his shoulder. Stopping; Chris found himself being pulled into Jamie's captivating emerald eyes.

"You can't blame this on yourself either Chris. Everyone had their reasons, for you, I think you're still trying to find your own."

"What about you?" He asked, his tone was bitterly firm. "What are your reasons?"

With a dead expression she told him. "I continue because Umbrella took away my reasons for anything else."

"Jamie,"- he began sympathetically before she cut him off.

"It's alright, Chris, really. I have a purpose, even though it isn't the one that I set out for."

As the words poured out of Jamie's mouth, Chris watched as she started to break down. With instinct taking over Chris wrapped his arms around Jamie as she sank into his chest.

"It's alright Jamie," he told her "soon it will all be over."

"And then what Chris?" She sniffled. "I don't have the comforts that you have. Umbrella took everything from me."

Feeling Jamie's sobs against his chest Chris tried to comfort her. "Jamie, Umbrella might have scarred you, but you're still standing. I say that's something to be left with."

Pulling slightly away Jamie stared desperately not into Chris' eye, but beyond them into his soul. "Shouldn't you be saying the same thing to yourself," she whispered her face now only a breath away. Before either of them knew it their lips were pressed against each other.

For one brief moment Chris wanted to let himself give into her lips, but it only took one solitary thought to pull him immediately away. Jill.

Stepping away Chris quickly tried to apologize to Jamie, but one glance at her expression made something horrible stir inside his stomach. Turning around Chris caught a familiar figure storming away into the building's staircase.

Suddenly all reason seemed to obliterate.

* * *

She shouldn't have been so cold towards Leon. Despite being so inarticulate Claire knew he had the best intentions at heart.

Inwardly cursing herself Claire jumped as she heard the phone ringing. Praying that it was Leon, Claire raced towards the phone, and though the caller wasn't who she had hoped, the phone call was still pleasantly received.

"Sherry, my god, it's good to hear you," Claire spoke happily into the receiver; she listened as the aging teen giggled at the other end.

"Well tell me something that I don't know," the girl joked in return. At this Claire found herself giggling.

"I'm glad teen angst hasn't gotten the best of your sense of humor," she told her friend.

"I try." Sherry replied cheerfully. A roll of silence preceded their laughter, a silence that the younger speaker boldly broke.

"So how's it going Claire?"

"Fine," Claire answered flatly.

The tone did not fool the tenacious Sherry Birkin. In a concerned voice the sixteen year old asked her. "Is everything alright?"

Hearing genuine sincerity in Sherry's unevenly pitched voice Claire just broke down. She relayed her whole conversation with Leon to Sherry, who listened silently. When she had last finished Claire waited with baited breath to hear Sherry's response.

At first Sherry didn't say anything, but soon carefully chosen words came from the receiver.

"I know Leon sometimes lacks tact, bur Claire if you don't mind me asking, what was your relationship with this Steve? You've always been sensitive about the topic."

Staying true to Sherry's opinion Claire was ready to take the immediate defensive stance, but something made her think better of it. So instead she gave Sherry the plain and simple truth.

"Steve was another victim of Umbrella's cruelty, so immediately we bonded in that sense. We helped each other out too, so another bond was added. It was sooner then I even realized that I had developed feelings," Claire found herself pausing for a moment before being able to continue on. "I know I had feelings for Steve, though they were nothing tangible, they were something that I could only feel in the moment. If that makes any sense?"

"More then you think?" Sherry answered knowingly, and Claire had to once again remind herself that the girl was seven years younger, though, in the conversation you would never be able to tell.

"Anyway," Claire went on. "When he was killed this overwhelming amount of guilt took over every other feeling. I mean it was beyond reason…I guess that was my drive these past years, and then everything else happened and slowly the guilt started to slip away. Until the recent news, suddenly those old unpractical feelings came rushing back to me."

"So…where does Leon fit in all this?"

To this Claire had no answer; she didn't even realize Leon had a part in all this until she had the words spoken to her.

"This might be a bit of a stretch Claire, but you think Leon may be part of your guilt too?"

Again, Claire hadn't thought about it until Sherry pointed it out.

"Sherry, I don't know what to make of anything anymore. Steve is a guy that I desperately wish I could have helped; I wish we could have gotten through the nightmare together. Because knowing that we didn't has made it a never ending nightmare for me. Knowing that his fate has created a whole new set of nightmares…I guess, maybe, I'm afraid to have Leon become a new nightmare."

"Claire, I know that my estimation of love comes strictly from a sixteen-year-old stand point, but I have to ask. Do you love him?"

"Jesus Sherry, how the hell"-

"You're blushing, aren't you," Sherry cut her off with a giggle.

Ready to laugh at anything Claire did exactly that, especially when her own realities were starting to blind that innocents that once made her who she was.

It was at these times of light heartedness that Claire allowed herself to open the door to all those things that she sometimes forgot about.

Still talking to Sherry, Claire walked over to Grace's crib. Looking at her daughter Claire smiled.

AUTHORS NOTE:

Well done with another chapter. This was a fun one to write. I love writing interactions with Carlos. Rarely do I get to use such arrogant charm with my characters.

Anyways, to anyone out there reading this, sorry for the spaced chapters. I'm facing my first set of college finals and am finding myself a bit dazed. What a bitch.

Well thanks again to whoever reads this. Hope everyone has a great holidays.

Always,

Leah


	8. Something's Go On

CHAPTER VIII

Something's Go On

Cursing, Chris ran after Jill, but he had been too slow. Jill was no where in sight.

With a guilt burdened heart Chris returned to Jamie; who he saw through her emerald eyes, shared the same sorrowful feeling.

"I'm so sorry Chris," Jamie immediately apologized. "I…I should have never…"

As her words faded Chris shook his head. "Don't be sorry, there were two sets of lips there," pausing, Chris took a deep breathe. "The thing is Jamie, since the last time we kissed my feelings for Jill haven't changed. I think I love her even more; if that is at all possibly…" Chris laughed bitterly to himself "I royally screwed that up didn't I?"

Collapsing back to the floor Chris buried his face in his hands, he heard Jamie sit down next to him.

"All may not be lost, Chris."

"You really think so?" He asked, looking up at her with hopeful eyes.

"I've seen the way that she looks at you, Chris; I've seen the way that you look at each other. I don't think she'll want to give up on you so easily."

Sighing, Chris prayed that Jamie was right.

Later that night the group met again to discuss their final decision. Jill was already in the office when he walked in; watching as she refused to look at him Chris took a seat next to Jamie. He continued to stare at Jill until the meeting started, and not once did her eyes stray over to his own.

When Williams walked into the office all other conversations went dead as the Assistant Director looked up at the group expectantly.

"So, are you guys in?"

Chris looked around the room; into the eyes of each of his friends. The answer was there and it couldn't be denied.

Standing up Chris turned to the Assistant Director and in the most convincing, affirming voice he could manage he told the F.B.I agent. "My friends and I have decided to step away, entrusting that you at the F.B.I to push forward. We just feel that we've gone as far as we needed to go…and it's time to move on."

Chris waited for Williams's response, though he didn't know what he expected; disappointment, anger, maybe surprise. But William's didn't show any of that, in fact, he didn't show any emotion at all.

"Well then," the Assistant Director said flatly, extending his hand. "I wish you all the best."

Taking the agent's hand Chris whispered a 'thank you,' though he was sure his shame spoke louder then his words.

The goodbyes followed the handshake; Chris had said his goodbyes to the others before lastly turning to Jamie.

"Well…" he said to her with a sinking smile.

"Have you talked to her yet?" Jamie asked sympathetically.

"No," he told her, then instinctively turned to see where Jill was. He caught sight of her just as she was leaving the room.

"Go talk to her," he heard Jamie whisper; Chris turned back around and stared at her hesitantly.

"Just go," she said giving him a slight push.

"What about you?" He asked guiltily.

"I'll be fine," Jamie told him, she sealed the deal with a genuine smile.

Giving into his own smile Chris gave Jamie a quick kiss on the cheek before darting out of the room. He caught up with Jill in the elevator just as the door was closing; he slipped in just before the steal doors sealed shut.

"You have some nerve," Jill said acidly, she didn't even bother to turn towards him.

"Jill, I…it…" But as he went to speak Jill turned to face him, Chris wished she hadn't. Her entire face was narrow and angry, spare her eyes. They were just hurt. Suddenly all the elegant words that he had stored in his head drained away.

"Listen Chris," I don't really give a damn about whatever you're trying to say. In the end it really doesn't matter."

"Then what does matter, Jill?" Chris asked, he was becoming frustrated. "I mean I gave up the fight against Umbrella for you."

"Just having you say that you gave up for me says you're missing the point entirely."

At that moment the elevator stopped and the doors slid open. Jill went to leave, but Chris grabbed her by the arm before she could storm away.

"Jill, please."

Stopping she looked at him. Her expression was so firm, but again her eyes gave away the truth.

"Chris…don't," her voice was almost a plea.

Just hearing the tone of her voice Chris let go of Jill's arm. With his heart burying itself in a deep barrel of despair he watched helplessly as Jill walked away.

The F.B.I had arranged a private jet fly them back to Seattle, and for the entire flight everybody was silent.

Chris wasn't sure if the group knew what was happening between him and Jill or if they all simply had too much on their minds. Either way Chris was grateful, he needed the peace.

It was during the last leg of the flight that Chris found himself feeling incredible sleepy. It was almost bizarre, in one sudden moment Chris was overcome with this feeling of wanting nothing else but to fall away into a never ending slumber.

He was starting to drift away when he noticed a familiar figure come into view. As things started to go black Chris couldn't believe his eyes as he watched Alfred Ashford staring down on him.

* * *

Stirring from a deep sleep, it took Jill a moment to put everything into focus and when she finally did Jill still found herself utterly confused.

She was in a dingy cell; both her arms and legs were chained against a stone wall and an awaking Chris was directly across from her, he too was caught utterly surprised by their new location.

Even though her environment screamed that there was larger issues to be worried about, Jill couldn't help the furious feeling that she still was holding for Chris, even as they mysteriously hung there.

But even her anger went away as the cell doors creaked open and an ominous figure slipped into the small room. It was the man from the tunnel back in Washington, the bastard who was with Ashford when they had Jamie at gunpoint.

A whole new anger took over Jill as she stared into the men's cold, lifeless eyes.

"Mr. Redfield, Miss Valentine, I appreciate your presence."

"Like we have much of a choice," Chris snapped.

"Nonetheless," the man carried on. "I do believe it's time for formal introductions. My name is Charles Spencer, the founder of Umbrella."

Spencer, the name was so familiar to Jill until suddenly realization hit her. "The mansion!" She exclaimed. "That death trap belonged to you!"

"Oh, yes, my Raccoon estate. I believe it is you two who stole that estate from me."

"And I believe it was you who stole so many of my friend's lives!" Chris yelled furiously.

At this Spencer just sneered, then returned back to his point. "It was you two who destroyed my first great creation, though it wasn't long before my scientist out did themselves once again."

"What do you want to us?" Jill asked, already sick of his mind games.

"Well, not to put a too fine point on it, I want you two. You're whole entourage actually, but you two especially. I want to make sure things come full circle."

"And what's that suppose to mean?" Chris questioned angrily.

"I want what you guys took from me. You all are going to become my new creations," with a devilish grin Spencer turned to Chris. "I believe you've been through the experience before Mr. Redfield."

Both terrified and angry beyond belief Jill and Chris stared at Spencer menacingly. At this the maniac just grinned wickedly.

"I thought I just give you two some food for thought," he laughed, and on that note Spencer turned around and left the cell. His horrid chuckles could be heard echoing down the hall.

AUTHORS NOTE:

Well it's been awhile. I hope everyone had a good holidays. Mine seemed to blaze by and now I'm back at college. Ready to get my ass kicked by over load of credits, but what's a girl to do.

Anyways, now that I'm back in the thick of things I hope to get these last chapters of my world series out.

Take it easy,

Leah


	9. Chained Hearts

CHAPTER IX

Chained Hearts

He was chained against the cold, stone wall, his limbs were going numb, an unknown danger held his life in their hands…and Leon could only think about one thing. Claire.

Leon wasn't exactly sure what it meant when his heart yearned to see someone so badly, but somewhere inside he held a faint idea. Though, he would never dare admit it.

All Leon could admit was he needed to see Claire one more time.

On the positive side of things, Leon was grateful he didn't have to be in a rotting cell alone. He Barry to share the burden with him.

"Leon, my beard itches."

"What do you want me to do about it?" Leon asked half-heartedly, as he himself struggled to find a comfortable place to sleep.

"I don't know," the older man grumbled. "Can't you blow on it or something?"

"Blow on it?" Leon had to laugh.

Barry was still trying to persuade him to blow on his beard when the cell door slowly began to open.

At first Leon could only make out a shadow, but after a few footsteps the shadow came into plain view, the sight left Leon gaping with utter shock.

Standing between Leon and Barry was Adam, though, he wasn't looking all that great. His hair was greasy, beads of sweat were dripping right pass his blood shot eyes, and in his shaking hand rested a pistol.

Though his friend wasn't looking very healthy, Leon had to admit it was better then the monsterous beast that he had last seen him as. But even still, Leon didn't have to stare at Adam long to know something was amist.

"Leon," Adam whispered weakly, his entire face was shaking.

"Adam, what the hell is going on? Why are we chained up like this?"

"Leon, I tried to play with the devil…but I couldn't. Now everything…" Adam's voice faded and his shaking worstened.

"I'm sorry Leon."

"Adam, what's happening to you?"

"I can't do this anymore," Adam went on, speaking to no one in particular. "I won't live as the monster I've become."

Forciably Adam shoved his spare hand into his pocket, pulling out a set of keys. "Here," Adam said, shoving that keys into Leon's hand. "Now you can save the others."

"But what about you?" Leon asked concerned. "I really think you should go to the hospital Adam."

"No doctor can help me now." Adam said in a ghostly tone. From the corner of his eye Leon noticed Adam start to raise his gun.

"Adam, what are you doing?"

"I'm sorry Leon."

"Adam, don't!"

"I'm sorry for everything," Adam whispered what would have been his last words. Leon could only scream as Adam pulled the trigger.

* * *

For a long stretch Jill and Chris hung there silently. At least a dozen times Jill tried to force herself to say something, but at the end of every effort she stopped herself.

Even in the predictament that they found themselves in Jill was still so mad at him; but it wasn't only anger, it was hurt, betrayel and even a horriable realization. Maybe she and Chris weren't meant to be together.

With a painful sigh Jill threw a glance over at Chris; their eyes caught each other. It was the first time since Spencer's entrance that they had even looked at each other.

Jill tried to look away, but she couldn't. She was held captive by his pitiful, steel blue eyes. And just when she gathered the gumption to speak, Chris beat her to the punch.

"Jill, I never meant"-

She cut him off. "I don't want to know what you meant or didn't mean to do, Chris."

"Then what do you want, Jill? I want to give you what you want, but your not making it easy."

"Chris," she wailed desperately. "all I want is to be with you. For us to live a simple life together." Jill paused to look at him. "But I don't think you want that."

"Jill, I want to be with you."

"Then why did you kiss her?" Jill asked, sounding more hurt then she had intended.

"I know this sounds like bullshit to you Jill, but it didn't mean anything to me. It was just for one moment we were on the same page and then I realize I didn't want to be on the same page as Jamie, or at least don't need to be. But with you Jill, I need you to be on the same page. I…I…I just don't work unless were together."

"But that's the thing Chris. Were not on the same page. I'm ready to start a new life, and you still need to continue to wage war against Umbrella."

"Look at us Jill!" Chris yelled at her. "Umbrella's not going to stop waging it's war on us just because we want them to. I want a new life, I want a new life with you, but I can't do that until I know were safe. Not until I can fall asleep without worrying that you won't be there the next morning."

"Chris," her voice had faded into nothing, but a whisper. "I just don't see when any of it is every going to end."

The two of them didn't say anything after that. They just hung there quietly, both searching yearningly into each others eyes.

In the midst of the silence the cell door opened.

Two huge menacing shadows entered the small room, and as they came into clear view Jill quickly realized she preferred them as shadows. The two shadows were huge tryants, though they weren't that Jill recalled from previous encounters. These two were controlled, which Jill found even more terrifying.

The two monsters didn't waste any time, they immediately moved towards her and amazingly took off her chains. The removal of metal wasn't a gesture of freedom, however. Instead the creatures picked her up and held her so tightly that Jill found little hope in escape.

As they carried her away Jill looked at Chris, who was screaming her name desperately. Their eyes locked in a moment that held more emotion that Jill knew either of them possessed. Then sooner then a moment Jill was out the cell doors and Chris was no longer in sight.

* * *

Claire laid on the couch lazily; it was late at night and she took comfort knowing that Grace was fast asleep. Flipping quickly through channels Claire remembered how much she hated late night television, when one channel suddenly caught her eye.

Not believing what she saw Claire hurried back to the previous channel. She stopped breathing when she realized that her eyes weren't deceiving her.

On the screen was Carlos and Rebecca, they both were running from something, though, Claire wasn't exactly sure what they were running from. The terrified look on their faces told her, however, that it wasn't something good.

Frozen in her seat Claire stared at the television not sure what she should do, when the picture of Carlos and Rebecca suddenly went blank.

Her heart dropped as she waited anxiously for the screen to re-appear. When it didn't Claire instinctively turned the channel.

This screen also showed a familiar figure, though it wasn't Carlos and Rebecca. This channel showed Barry, the old S.W.A.T team member was alone, firing his python rapidly at an overgrown plant, which had vines approaching Barry at a horrifying pace. Claire screamed as the vines wrapped around Barry, but as she began jumping up from her seat the screen once again went blank.

"What the hell is going on!" Claire yelled to nobody as she turned to the next channel.

Now it was Jill and Chris on the screen, Claire yelled Chris' name at the television. She was somehow hoping that her brother would respond, but of course he didn't. Instead he tried to free himself from a hoard of zombies as another approached a helpless Jill.

Claire watched mortified as her brother tried so desperately to get to the women that he loved. The zombies had just reached Jill when blackness once again took over the picture.

Not even hesitating for a moment this time Claire flipped the channel. Leon was sitting on a bench all by himself, he looked fatigued as he sat motionless on the lone bench, Claire realized that he was asleep. For a long time nothing happened- until Leon's eyes shot open.

Like a firework on the fourth of July Leon jumped up, his eyes darted to the horizon, but Claire wasn't able to witness what he was seeing…until they too came into view.

They were two beast, two familiar beast. Like a knife to the heart Claire realized who the two beast were. The approaching creatures were Steve and Adam, they no longer resembled anywhere near their customary form. They were now heaving monstrousities, standing at an easy eight feet. Their faces were contorted into hideous shape. Their teeth reached all the way down to their pointed chins and their eyes were nothing more then two yellow slits. Yet, somehow Claire just knew who they were.

The two of them approached Leon, who for whatever reason just stood there. Claire screamed helplessly for Leon to move, but his T.V. figure didn't budge. Claire waited for the T.V to go blank again, but this time it didn't. In a horrified stand still Claire watched as the two monsters tore Leon apart.

Tears had started to run down her face when Grace's cry awoke her nerves. Wanting nothing more then to hold her daughter Claire ran to her bedroom, but she never made it there.

Appearing from thin air was a black, bottomless pit. Not able to stop herself Claire fell into the hole. Forever she fell and other then the abyss was the sound of everyone she cared about crying out her name for help. But as she dropped farther into the void Claire came to realize that there was absolutely nothing she could do, but fall.

In the pitch black night Claire set straight up from her bed. Breathing heavily she tried to gather herself, an attempt near hopeless. Her shaking hands wiped the sweat that dripped slowly down her face, but they weren't able to wipe away the fear that had engulfed her heart.

What the hell was that? It was too damn real to be a nightmare, but if it wasn't a nightmare…

Suddenly uncontrolled tears started to drip down Claire's cheeks, and at that moment she prayed to any god that would listen that the others were okay.


	10. SelfDestructing Ends

CHAPTER X

Self-Destructing Ends

They took her, Jill was taken by two tyrants and all Chris could do was hang there. He tugged at his chains and yelled until his lungs went hoarse, both turning out to be fruitless efforts. Jill was in danger and there was nothing that Chris could do about it.

Chris cursed himself for not telling Jill he loved her one last time, for not reaching out to her when she needed him the most. He cursed himself for giving her pain when all that's all he ever wanted to protect her from.

Drowning in his sorrow Chris suddenly cursed himself even harder. How dare he give up hope when all was not lost. He did not know that Jill was dead; and he wasn't going to stop fighting for her until his own breath was gone. Being chained to a wall would not be an exception.

Filled with new resolve Chris started yelling for everything he was worth, though it was indeed a long shot, it was a shot that Chris would never stop taking.

His throat was turning bone dry as he screamed for a savior, his voice reducing itself to nothing but a high pitch plea. The gods, however, must have been with Chris in that lonely dungeon, for at the end of his voice Chris heard his cell begin to open.

"Chris," Came a familiar voice. "Is that you?"

"Leon, yes, thank god."

Through the cell door came Leon, he was followed by Barry, Rebecca and Carlos, each of their faces full of relief when they met his own.

"Guys," Chris spoke frantically, not daring to waist a second on relief "they have Jill. Two tyrants, they just took her. We have to get out of her and save her."

"Of course," Leon replied calmly, from his pocket he pulled out a small golden key. "Like we would ever leave her behind."

As the chains were released Chris desperately wanted to rub his wrist and ankles, but there was no time. The second that he was free Chris was out the cell doors, the others followed questioningly.

"Chris, what are you planning on doing?" Barry's reasonable voice asked. "You're not armed, you have no idea"-

"I don't care," Chris snapped his pace not slowing for a second. "I just have to get to her."

"We all know you have to get to her amigo," Carlos' accent pierced his ears. "But don't be stupid."

Discouraged Chris stopped at a fork in the narrow hallway, and turned to his friends. "Jill's in danger," he pleaded with them desperately. "What the hell do you guys want me to do?"

"Don't go barging in with only your wits would be a start," Barry answered. "We need a plan."

"There's no time!" Chris yelled his frustration and patience battling inside of him. He was ready to storm off when Leon jumped in front of him.

"You guys go find some weaponry and hopefully a way out. Chris and I will go find Jill."

"What if we don't meet up again?" Rebecca asked fearfully.

"Then you guys get yourselves out of here," Chris answered for Leon. "I think we'll have a better chance working with stealth anyway."

"But"- The three of them tried to argue, but Chris didn't have time to hear any of it.

"Go!" He yelled forcibly.

Barry, Carlos and Rebecca all gave each him a feeble nod and a whispered good luck before taking a left at the junction. Moving with haste they quickly became out of Chris' sight.

With a great sense of warmth and affection Chris turned to face Leon. "Thank you," he told the younger man earnestly.

Shrugging Leon told him. "Like I said, there's no way that were going to leave Jill behind."

Having that said the two didn't waste anymore time as they began to hurry on. At a run the two of them continued to move on in a never ending hallway. Chris was starting to worry that this would be a dead end when a not so promising person brought them a promise.

Alfred Ashford stood at another fork of their path; his devilish eyes were staring at the two of them hungrily.

"Oh, how I have dreamt of this moment," Ashford said snidely as they approached.

"Get out of the way Ashford!" Chris knew his voice was deadly, but to little surprise Alfred didn't seem to care. In fact, Chris could have sworn that he liked it.

"Why Redfield? So you can be a knight in shining armor and save your leading lady?" Ashford laughed cynically. "I'm sorry, but this isn't one of those fairy tales."

Chris started to travel angrily towards Ashford, but the devilish man was waiting for such a movement. At Chris' first step Alfred pulled out a gun.

"I'm afraid you're going no where, Redfield."

Contemplating if he should take his chances, Chris was ready to pounce on Ashford when he heard Leon whisper to him.

"You go; I'll take care of Ashford."

Chris threw a glance over to Leon, but his expression held firm. "You gotta go save Jill." Every bone in Chris' body knew that Leon was right, but he still couldn't get his feet to move.

"Just go!" Leon yelled at last before shoving him into the next hallway. The push was all Chris needed. With everything he had Chris broke out into a run, he could hear Ashford's angry cries, but he couldn't let them stop him. Ignoring all other reason Chris just ran.

His quick foot pace didn't stop until at last he came to what he was looking for. An immense laboratory.

At the sight of the clear glass Chris came to a halt, only to proceed on carefully.

The lab wasn't locked, the doors slid open with an unsettling ease, as if they were waiting for him. Chris' instincts of danger were screaming, but all other options vanished when his eyes came upon an operating table. Chris felt his heart skip a beat when he saw a helpless Jill lying naked on top of it.

All other thoughts suddenly disappeared as Chris ran foolishly to Jill.

* * *

"That was a foolish mistake on your part, Mr. Kennedy," Ashford snarled. "Letting Redfield go."

"Sometimes you just have to take your chances," Leon retorted back, careful not to take his eyes off of the pistol that was before him.

"I suppose we all do," Ashford replied in a long drawl. "Speaking of… how is Claire doing?"

At the mere mention of Claire's name all Leon's muscles tightened. "What do you mean by that?"

"I think you know exactly what I mean, Mr. Kennedy," Ashford said knowingly.

Falling right into the maniacs trap Leon asked him. "What do you know about Grace?"

"Oh, you mean other then what Adam Skampa told you? Not much, but I be willing to bet it's more then Claire knows. I could hardly see her baring the knowledge of who her daughter really is."

"You're so full of shit," Leon said more defensively then accusingly.

"Am I? Tell me this Mr. Kennedy, have you told Claire what you know?"

Gritting his teeth Leon remained silent.

"I didn't think so."

Leon made an irrational move towards Ashford, who cocked his gun. "Your just as fool hardy as Redfield, do you know that?" Ashford said snidely.

"Alright Ashford, if your telling me the truth then tell me how that innocent child could possibly be your insane sister? Prove me wrong, if you can?"

"You'll know when the time is right, you stupid credent," Ashford replied angrily.

Leon stared at Ashford all the way to the mad glint in his eyes. He tried to read for an opening or weakness. Something that would put Ashford off his track, if only for a moment.

"I wish you could be there at that moment," the nutcase went on. "I wish I could be with you just as the realization hits you. I wish you could see justice prevail and me and my sister re-united." As Alfred finished his last word Leon found the weapon that he had be searching for.

"Your sister was quite the nut job wasn't she, plotting failure after failure."

"My sister was brilliant!" Ashford yelled furiously.

"Right, just like the Veronica virus, or her futile attempts to kill the Redfields."

"Watch your mouth Kennedy!" Ashford said dangerously, but now Leon was on a roll.

"I suppose you would call those things brilliant, it's hellova a lot more then you ever did."

That was Ashford's boiling point. With his eyes glowing with fury he started shooting, but for this Leon was ready. He jumped out of the way of the fired shots; landing at Alfred's feet Leon was quick to take away his balance. Ashford fell to the cement floor, his gun flying from his hands.

On the ground Leon tackled him, the two wrestled, but Alfred had the strength of a wilted flower. Pinning him to the ground Leon released all his anger and pain he held, not only for Ashford, but for Umbrella and all of its seeds of evil. After three swift punches he left the psycho unconscious.

Getting up Leon looked at the pathetic figure, his eyes then darted over to the gun that had flown from Ashford's grasp in the midst of the scramble. Picking the weapon up he moved back over to Ashford and pointed the pistol at his head.

There were so many reasons for him to pull the trigger, so much he could prevent and all he had to do was move his finger…yet Leon couldn't.

The bastard had already destroyed so much, but for whatever reason Leon wouldn't let himself add to that total.

Backing away Leon was going to find the others when he heard Ashford's voice hissed behind him.

"You fool."

Turning back around Leon didn't hesitate, firing two rounds he watched the bullets pierce Ashford's torso. A knife that was in Ashford's hand fell to the floor, the blade's collision with the cement echoed down the hall.

It wasn't what he wanted to do, but standing over Ashford's figure Leon didn't have any regrets. He wouldn't let himself.

Gathering the few shreds he had left of his composure, Leon was about to be on his way when an all too familiar voice echoed throughout the building.

In a cold, curt tone a women's voice spoke "Fifteen-minutes till self-destruction."

* * *

Stirring from a deep slumber it took Jill a moment to conquer her drowsiness, and even longer to figure out why the hell she was naked and strapped to an operation table.

Then it hit her.

Suddenly she was overcome with a very vulnerable fear, one that was greatly multiplied when she noticed Charles Spencer approaching her.

"Welcome to consciousness Miss Valentine."

"What the hell are you planning!" She yelled, panicked stricken.

"You know exactly what I'm planning Miss Valentine, you're just going to be the first of your friends, but don't worry they soon will join you."

"You sick-son-of-a-bitch," Jill said acidly, Spencer merely smiled.

"I'm not that bad Miss Valentine," he told her; Jill didn't like the look that was in his eyes. "Not once you get to know me."

Jill stared at Spencer horrified as he began to walk towards her; she now recognized the nasty desire that was flickering in his eyes.

Feeling a scream building in her lungs Jill was about to let it loose, just then she heard a rusting noise come from the laboratory doorway. Her eye's instinctively darted to the source of the sound, unfortunately, so did Spencer's.

They both recognized Chris as he ran towards them; in the span of a second, as Chris raced towards the table; Spencer pounced out into view a pistol clutched in his hand positioning Chris at a gun point.

"Redfield, how the hell did you get out if your cell!" Spencer yelled angrily.

"You keep underestimating our will, Spencer."

"You believe yourself to be so clever don't you Redfield, you think you and all your companions to be so on top of everything. When in truth your crusade is nothing more pathetic."

"It's gotten us this far hasn't it?" Chris told Spencer snidely, the latter just smirked.

"This, my narrow minded friend, is only the tip of the iceberg. You honestly think that Umbrella just stops at a privately owned company?" Jill watched, thinking that Chris would some how respond, but all he did was stand there. His lack of action provoked Spencer to continue on.

"You all fight so hard, but at the end of every day you come up with nothing."

"You can spare me the word games Spencer," Chris spoke up.

"Then you want me to jump to the truth, the truth that you've all so valiantly been fighting against." Spencer paused, his eyes darted between her and Chris, a triumphant grin was plastered against his face. "The government has been behind Umbrella all along, from the beginning we've been working with the very being that you've been working for."

"You can stop with your lies Spencer," Chris told him. "There's no way the U.S government would partake in any of this."

"You're so naïve Redfield. Why do you think we've been striving so hard in our tyrant projects…so the government can have the perfect soldier. Everything that Umbrella has ever done has been at the government's push."

Jill stared at Chris' doubtful expression, feeding off its hope that her inner feelings were quickly destroying.

"Still not convinced Redfield? Why don't you recall your 'trust worthy' F.B.I. How coincidental it must have been in your head to have the very plane that the F.B.I gave you be hijacked. Then again, maybe the thought never crossed your incompetent mind."

Suddenly a single name struck Jill just as it came out of Chris' disbelieving mouth.

"Williams."

"At last he catches on. How easy you and your faithful companions were to manipulate. Right from the beginning you were ripe for the Assistant Director's picking."

"But back in the tunnel," Chris stuttered angrily. "He saved us."

"Saving you from what, Redfield? Saving you from doubting his loyalty to you? Trust me; Williams did exactly everything that I wanted him to. That information that you courageously gathered, its right back where it started. The F.B.I never saw it."

"Then the others"-

"The other agents had no idea, just like you. They were all part of the same plot to get you right here, exactly where I always wanted you."

As Chris' eyes grew big and incredulous, Jill found herself voicing the one singular thought that kept pounding in her head.

"Why?"

At this Spencer turned to her, his eyes were tingling with excitement.

"Because Miss Valentine, I can."

Everything from that point happened extremely fast.

As Spencer's back was turned to him Chris attacked, he was able to kick Spencer's gun from his hand, but the action left him unbalanced. Spencer retailed by punching Chris squarely in the face. Stumbling back a few steps Chris fell back, giving Spencer enough space to pick up his gun and point it once again on his opponent.

In a heavy voice Spencer regained enough breath to say to Chris. "That Mr. Redfield will be the last time I underestimate you."

Jill shut her eyes, not able to bear the scene that was about to unfold. She waited for the horrible sound of a fateful shot being fired; instead all she heard was the sound of shattering glass and a string of Spencer's curses.

Re-opening her eyes Jill's heart rose as she stared at Chris standing over her. He smiled at her, though nervously.

"What happened?" She asked him confused.

Chris didn't answer with words, instead he looked around the laboratory, Jill's eyes followed his gaze.

A pair of tyrants had entered the room, and though the sight sent a chill down Jill's spine, the two monsters seemed to be preoccupied with something else. She immediately looked away when the recognition hit her.

"Is that…"

"Was," Chris corrected, as he begun to untie the ropes that were binding her.

Once un-done the two collapsed into each other's arms. Burying herself in the crane of his neck Jill was ready to never let go when a voice echoed into the room, thrusting reality right back in her face.

"Fifteen-minutes till self-destruction."

Pulling away Jill and Chris looked at each other with terror filled eyes.

"We got to go," Chris told her, taking off his shirt and throwing it on her naked body. "Now!"

AUTHORS NOTE: This is the second to last chapter. My world series is almost over. I just want to say thanks to anyone whose stuck with the story this far.

Always,

Leah


	11. Unclear Horizons

CHAPTER XI

Unclear Horizons

He had told Barry and the others to get out of the building, and though it was with great reluctance, the three of them all obeyed his request. Leon, however, wasn't about to follow his own advice. He waited around the entrance, not prepared to leave until he was with Chris and Jill.

Time that would normally drag by seemed to pass him with lightning speed. His eyes were constantly darting around the large entrance hall, his ears tuned for the echo of footsteps.

Leon's hopes near vanished when the woman, whose voice would forever haunt his nightmares, said in her infamous tone.

"Two-minutes till self-destruction."

With a regrettable realization that Leon had to get out of there, he began to back paddle towards the door. It was at that time, when the clock ticked near its end, that two figures emerged heroically into view.

They were at a slight limp, but none the less running towards Leon with such a fierce determination that he would almost claim it as near impossible.

Leon quickly ran towards the pair, merging himself between Jill who had no pants and Chris who was wearing no shirt. Together they hurried towards the exit without a single word exchanged.

Making it outside they ran with every last drop of energy that they possessed. They had reached a few meters away from the building when a warm blaze of heat collided with their backs, telling them that the explosion hit.

The power of it swept Leon, along with Chris and Jill, right from the ground and flew them several yards ahead.

Landing harshly on the soil Leon had to take a moment to catch his breath, when he did Leon instinctively looked over at Chris and Jill to make sure they were alright. The three of them locked gazes, each making sure that the other was alright, and then simultaneously, they turned to the burning building. They watched the flames with silent amazement.

In a voice full of so many emotions that it almost became inaudible Chris said to them.

"I can't believe it's over."

Not saying so much as a word, Leon only prayed that he was right.

* * *

"So it's over for you guys?" Jamie asked as they walked along the Seattle's office halls.

"Well, in a manner of speaking I suppose it is," he told her through a heavy sigh. "Though, if I've learned anything, 'over' is a word too finely carved. In this world nothing is ever over."

"I guess repercussions are everywhere," she added to his line of thinking. "But if I've learned anything it's that you have to remain optimistic."

"Agreed," Chris said his tone lighter then before.

In silence, they walked downstairs to the garage. During those speechless moments Chris thought about Jamie, and the position that she now found herself in.

After their narrow escape, from what Chris later learned to be Spencer's private laboratory base, the group was quick to accuse Assistant Director William's for his part in Umbrella's ploys.

With an investigation into the Assistant Director's conspiracies, his team was broken up. And while Beck and Kyle had decided to stay with the F.B.I, Jamie had not.

Reaching the destination of his van, Chris stopped next to the driver's side door. He and Jamie faced each other, in an attempt to break the awkwardness that was before them Chris had to ask her.

"What are you going to do now?"

Jamie shrugged indifferently. "My future is pretty foggy right now, but hey, what else is new?"

"So no knowing what's next?"

"Afraid not," she answered him with a half-smile. "But that's not necessarily a bad thing."

Nodding, Chris was about to give his farewell when he caught Jamie staring deep into his eyes, she then asked him.

"What about you Chris? Any big plans in your new future?"

At this Chris found himself grinning. "Who said anything about new? I have everything right now that's going to make me happy."

"Jill," Jamie said, her voice distinctively subdued.

Catching his mistake Chris tried to fix it, Jamie, however, beat him to the punch.

"Goodbye Chris," she said somberly, leaning on her tiptoes Jamie gave his forehead a gentle kiss. "May both our futures be bright."

Chris could only give a small smile and nod, as Jamie gave him only the slightest of waves before walking away. He watched as her figure slipped into the distance. And though it didn't have the qualities of an optimistic goodbye, it was a fitting one.

Which, in their case, was the best thing that either of them could offer.

* * *

They were in the same room, they were side by side, but for all the emotions and feelings that were running through her, Claire couldn't express a one of them.

After the group returned home Claire had realized how close her nightmare was to becoming true, suddenly everything was in a different view. Now every moment with Leon was another opportunity that Claire couldn't commit to.

That exact moment being another perfect example.

There Leon was, holding Grace with such love and care. All Claire wanted to do was tell him how she loved him. Yet, for all the courage that Claire Redfield possessed she couldn't express that one simple act.

While trying to gather the courage Claire knew was in her, Leon, though unknown to her at the time, was trying to do the same.

Catching her completely off-guard, Leon had broken the silence that so commonly came between them, and said to her. "Claire, there's something I have to tell you."

His honest statement sent the flood gates open in Claire, and before he could say what he was going to tell her, Claire told him what she needed to tell him.

"Leon," Once she said his name all the words that had been locked up inside of her came out in a rapid fire. "I love you. I know that so much has happened and I've probably been nothing but confusing to you. But I love you, I love you so much."

When Claire was finished all she could do was catch her breath and stare yearningly at Leon, waiting for his reaction.

At first all Leon did was stare at her, wide eyed and shocked, but a realization slowly took over his expression. In one fast, unexpected moment Leon leaned towards Claire and kissed her.

It was soft and reserved at first, but by the time they pulled away both parties were breathing heavily.

Staring deep into Leon's big, brown eyes, she asked the question that started the moment that they now found themselves in.

"What were you going to tell me?"

Leon's first reaction to the question was a grimace; he took a moment to stare at her long and good. At the end of that moment, however, his expression softened and he said to her.

"That I love you too."

Capping off a moment not to be forgotten, Claire and Leon kissed again. There lips touched so softly and perfectly, as if they should have united a long time ago. This time when they parted, both Claire and Leon looked down at Grace and then back up at each other.

In real life stories there are rarely any happy beginnings and even fewer endings, but for Claire and Leon, at that moment they had both. They both new there should never be any promises for the future, but for them, they were simply grateful for the promise of a future. Especially of one together.

* * *

The park was beautiful at night, everything had a glow. The tree's leaves glistened from the moonlight, the grass was all freshly cut, its scent wavered throughout the area. It was the type of scenery that leaves you absolutely breathless, but only if you take the time to appreciate it.

Well now, Jill was finally taking the time, She sat alone on the open grass field, not a soul was around. It was just Jill, the night's cool breeze and rustling sound of grass.

Letting the surrounding ease her soul, Jill had just closed her eyes when one man's voice broke the night's silence.

"There you are," said Chris, joining her on the grass. In return Jill gave him a small smile.

She knew where Chris was coming from, and though she was over the kiss, some pain still remained. In truth, the pain really didn't have anything to do with Jamie at all. The pain came from knowing that her and Chris's days together might be numbered. The though was heart wrenching, but something at the same time Jill knew she had to come to terms with. Along with so many other things.

Umbrella was no more; the war that they have been fighting for the past five years was over. Now the bond that had connected her and Chris for all that time no longer existed, and though Jill loved Chris so much, she wasn't sure if that was enough for him.

"You're a tough lady to find, you know that?" His teasing tone was so welcoming.

"Well, on a night like this I couldn't resist."

"One can hardly blame you," he said, Jill could feel him sweep his arm around her and for an instant her body became tense. A reaction that Chris did not miss.

"Is something wrong Jill? Chris asked with nothing, but concern.

"No," she tried to lie casually.

"Alright," Chris said, Jill knew he could see right through her.

Before silence could engulf them Jill bit her bottom lip and asked him "So, how was Jamie?"

"We said our goodbyes; I think she has some tough roads in front of her, but who doesn't?"

Jill nodded; it was the only response she could come up with.

They were on the edge of another silence when this time Chris saved them. "Jill, I know something's up. If it's about Jamie I swear"-

She stopped him right there "It's not about Jamie."

"Then what is it?" He asked, his voice cracking at the end.

"Chris," just saying his name Jill knew how nervous she sounded, but digging deep she continued. "Do you still want to do this?"

"Do what?" Chris questioned, honestly confused.

"Us, I mean our lives are no longer going to be ripped with excitement. Things are going to settle down now, and I'm not quite sure you want that."

Chris took a moment to think about his answer, when he was ready he gentle took hold of both her hands, and with a subtle grin he began to speak.

"Jill, if settling down means being with you then I'm absolutely ready for that. Am I worried about things down the road, of course, but at the end of the day it really doesn't matter. I'm with you, and through rain or shine, that's all that's important to me."

His corny sentiments was exactly what Jill needed to hear. In one uncontrolled action Jill threw her arms around Chris, who clung back onto her tightly.

"I love you, Chris," she whispered into his ear.

"I love you too," he whispered back.

There and then the two of them clung to each other. It was right there and then that Jill realized that everything she could ever be looking for was right in her arms.

Umbrella had taken so much from all of them, but in the midst of a residence of evil, love flourished. Within the corporation's demise a light came through, a light made of sure will, a light that couldn't be denied. And when the devil wasn't looking both forces took their swing, and despite all the odds the forces came through. Bringing a sight that was truly one to behold.

The End

AUTHORS NOTE: Well that's it. I'm finally finished. My 'world' series has come to its unenviable end. It's taken me three stories and two years, but here I am. I do have plans for another trilogy that will connect with this one (think Star Wars,) but that won't be even started for awhile. Until then I would like to take the opportunity to thank everyone who supported my stories. Because I always truly appreciate it.

So; Shakahnna, Pinquicha, blood lover, Kararoke Risa, The Magnificent Kiwi, Dan Helsing, Dale, Zanger, jp33, Resident roach code metallica, scoobysnax1, MrsBillyCoen. Thanks. A special thanks to REsurvivor, Chris Redfield Fan, tek, and ktdid.

And a very special thank you to Shaman-Taka.

Once again I want to give my gratitude to you all. Your comments were always my finish line. And I thank you for that.

Hoping that all always stays well,

Leah


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